Current situation
Teristraz is a sea-bound city in northern Kildar, lying south of the dwarven hold of Rhyl and just below the line where crops will not grow and the sea itself freezes in winter. Its people honor Sova Medvedov and cling fiercely to their old traditions. For a brief but storied time, it stood as the capital under Sova Medvedov and her successor. Since the Crimson Dusk, when the Medvedov line came to an end, Teristraz has struggled to find its balance—seeking a life true to its ways while avoiding the fate of isolation.
Layout
The city clings to cliffs and terraces overlooking a wide natural harbor, where waves crash against the rocky shoreline and docks rise on weathered wood and stone. Its streets are narrow and crooked, shaped by the terrain and the sea rather than careful planning, giving the city a lively and chaotic character.
At the heart of the city lies the Harbor of Bones, a bustling quay where ships of every size tie up, and the skulls and bones of sea monsters are displayed as trophies. Near the main pier stands a grand statue of Sova Medvedov, honoring the chieftess who led the first humans to Kildar. Citizens and sailors alike gather here, paying homage or simply meeting before heading out to sea. Adjacent to the statue, the Seafarers’ Forum serves as an open space where debates, announcements, and political discussions take place. Here, captains, merchants, and citizens exchange ideas, make deals, and settle disputes under the watchful eyes of Medvedov’s likeness.
Closer to the city walls lies the Landcrabs' Quarter. While most non-citizens live outside the walls, many maintain business inside the city. The quarter hosts a bustling market selling fish, wool (and ropes), exotic goods, and occasional pirate spoils. It is also the center for social and spiritual life, with taverns and churches drawing visitors from both inside and outside the walls.
Beyond the walls, people live quietly, tending , raising horses, and shearing sheep for wool. Though less connected to the city’s seafaring traditions, they play a vital role in Teristraz’s economy, supporting the city while remaining on its rugged, maritime fringe.
Population
The population of Teristraz is divided into two groups.
The first are the full-right citizens, those who have completed the ancient rite of passage. According to tradition, a candidate is sent alone to Medvedov Island with nothing but clothes and a weapon, and must survive until taken back—usually after about a month, though the length depends on the season. The island has long been uninhabited by people but teems with deadly creatures: owlbears, displacer beasts, and sometimes even greater terrors. Survival alone is enough to prove one’s worth, but there are other paths to success. Returning early with the head of a fearsome beast counts as triumph, as does building one’s own vessel or finding another way back to Teristraz.
Those who never complete the trial are known, half-jokingly, as landcrabs. They lack voting rights and hold little political power or prestige, even if they are skilled professionals. Yet the bond between citizens and landcrabs is not hostile. Citizens often tease them, but treat them more like younger kin than outcasts—and in times of danger, Teristrazians defend their precious landcrabs as fiercely as their own blood.
The rite may be undertaken at any age. Most attempt it before eighteen, but it is not dishonorable to succeed later, even at thirty. Outsiders face a stricter path: they must not only survive the rite, but also prove their experience at sea. Completing only the trial will not grant citizenship, but it earns immense respect and opens many doors within the city.
Above all, Teristraz judges its people by skill and deed. Gender, race, or origin mean little here; what matters is strength, courage, and what one can accomplish upon the waves.
Economy
Teristraz draws most of its wealth and sustenance from the sea, though the city’s economy is broadly divided into two spheres: the peaceful labors of the so-called “landcrabs” and the harsher, more martial pursuits of the full citizens.
Peaceful Activities
1) Fishing and Marine Resources
As a city bound to the sea, it is no surprise that fish and seafood form the backbone of Teristraz’s diet. The people employ every method imaginable—rods, nets, crab traps, and spears or tridents near the shallows. The harbor is always alive with the smell of salt and the cries of gulls as the daily catch comes in.
Yet the skills of Teristraz’s folk go far beyond simple fishing. Some undertake perilous dives for pearls in treacherous waters. Pearls and other precious stones hold little value locally, but they are eagerly traded to merchants from afar for more practical goods.
Another valuable resource comes from the seashells gathered along the coast, from which brilliant dyes are extracted. These dyes are highly prized and pair naturally with the wool produced by the city’s thriving sheep herds, giving Teristraz a distinct advantage in textile trade.
2) Animal husbandry
The land around Teristraz is not the most fertile, but it provides enough rich grasslands to support strong herds. Animal husbandry has therefore flourished here. Sheep are the most important livestock—their wool is famed across all of Kildar, and their meat helps sustain the city’s people. Horses, cattle, and goats are also raised in good numbers.
3) Mining
South of Teristraz lies a mountain range, most of which belongs to the dwarves of Ironhold. Still, one small stretch of the range falls under Teristraz’s control. The mines here yield simple but useful resources such as iron and copper, enough to supply the city’s needs. It is widely believed that richer veins lie hidden in these mountains—after all, Ironhold is full of them—but the local miners’ guild shows little interest in deeper exploration. Other guilds, especially the merchants, quietly pressure them not to dig too greedily, fearing that greater mineral wealth would only fuel Teristraz’s piracy.
4) Trade
Surprisingly, trade with Teristraz has never been completely crushed by its piratical reputation. This is partly because the cityfolk rarely attack caravans inland, making travel by land relatively safe. While the roads still harbor bandits and other dangers, those who reach the city gates can expect to trade in peace. For this reason, most merchants who must deal with Teristraz prefer to arrive by caravan rather than ship.
Approaching by sea, however, is a far greater gamble—but not impossible. To dock safely in Teristraz, a captain must demonstrate strength, confidence, and respect. One known strategy is to defeat a pirate ship near Medvedov Island and, instead of sinking or plundering it, demand that its crew escort you to the city. Once the pirates vouch for you, the port opens its gates, and your vessel will be left unmolested.
Merchants who come to Teristraz usually seek its finest goods: wool, pearls, and dyes, as well as rare marine ingredients valued by alchemists. Yet there is one more reason traders arrive here, and it is both practical and bitter—many come to recover cargo once stolen from their own ships, now resold openly in Teristraz’s bustling markets.
Military activites
1) Piracy
Piracy and raiding are what Teristraz is truly known for. These tendencies were somewhat restrained while Kildar’s monarchy still stood, but after the fall of the Medvedov bloodline the city embraced once more the practices that had made it powerful in the first place.
The strength of Teristraz pirates lies in their unmatched experience, centuries of hardened seamanship, and their mastery of bold and unorthodox tactics. Their longships, while not as advanced as those from Arland, are cheaper, faster to build, and crewed by some of the most skilled sailors in Kildar. Few at sea ever let their guard down when a Teristraz sail is on the horizon.
Though they raid widely, there are three regions they favor most:
1) Šraku – Close to Teristraz and rich in magical cargo, Šraku offers tempting prizes. Enchanted items can be used, traded, or sold for a fortune. The risks, however, are steep: the waters are well-patrolled, raids must strike precisely when the portals appear, and a single magical mishap can blow both prey and hunter out of the water.
2) Anfyn – Teristraz pirates despise competition, none more so than the goblin pirates of Anfyn. These rivals lack true seamanship, relying on sheer numbers and reckless swarms. Raiding here is unpredictable: one haul may yield worthless junk, the next priceless stolen cargo or strange fey artifacts. Should Anfyn pirates ever succeed in battle, Teristraz crews bury the news, for nothing is more shameful than losing to such “sea-scavengers.”
3) Brell – Another favored hunting ground, Brell’s vessels often carry spell scrolls, arcane engines, and other treasures. Tales speak of pirates hauling away fragments of a golem. Yet Brell is perilous: wild magic storms lash the seas, and abominations drawn by its energies prowl the depths. Every victory here comes at great risk.
They once raided cities as well—for example, a famously successful strike on Stormhaven, where they reached the city by river rather than by sea. In time, however, such raids were abandoned: the risks grew far greater than the rewards, and each attack carried the danger of sparking a full-scale war.
2) Monster Hunting and Contracts
Since the Crimson Dusk, the seas have grown more dangerous, swarming with monsters believed to originate from Brell’s wild-magic zone. Hunting such creatures is among the most honored deeds in Teristraz. Bringing back the remains of a sea beast not only earns lasting respect but also fetches high prices from alchemists and scholars.
The situation has grown so dire that even merchant and mercenary guilds quietly turn to Teristraz for help. Officially, they never hire pirates—but they approach the city’s forum, who then assign the task. These contracts usually involve clearing regions of monsters or breaking Anfyn’s pirate bands. For merchants, the arrangement is a win on both sides: the seas grow safer, and Teristraz pirates are kept too busy hunting to raid caravans or ships elsewhere.
Government
The governance of Teristraz is unusual, walking a line between democracy and autocracy depending on circumstance. Formally, the city is ruled by a Chief. In earlier days, the Chief was appointed by the monarch of Kildar, but since the fall of the Medvedov line, Teristraz has chosen its own leader through trial by combat on Medvedov Island.
Only full citizens may stand as candidates. They are brought to the island with a single overseer, and there they fight in an all-for-all contest. Killing is permitted but dishonorable; the true mark of skill is to knock opponents unconscious without slaying them. When only one contender remains, the overseer and the victor bind the fallen candidates, return by ship, and present the results to respected elders. These elders confirm the legitimacy of the trial, then announce the new Chief at the Forum.
The Forum itself is the heart of Teristraz’s politics. When decisions must be made—laws, disputes, or responses to crisis—the process usually follows a ritual order:
The Chief presents his stance and argues for it.
The audience votes in favor or against.
If the majority agrees, the decision stands.
If the majority disagrees, the Chief may debate further, explaining his reasoning while others propose an alternative.
A second vote is held, either for the Chief’s decision or the alternative.
If the Chief loses again, he faces two choices: accept the alternative or call for a Fight of Resolve.
The Fight of Resolve is what makes Teristraz unique. If called, the Chief stands alone against however many are willing to raise their weapons in defense of the alternative. To prevent mobs forming by hesitation or peer pressure, all challengers must raise their weapons above their heads at the signal, committing instantly. Sometimes this means the Chief faces only three opponents; at other times, it could be one against a hundred.
These contests are not fought to the death, but with heavy clubs or bare hands. Victory lies in endurance, strength, and willpower rather than slaughter. In this way, the Chief rules both by the voice of the people and by the strength of his own arm, and every law carries the weight of debate—or blood.
Teristraz sea tricks
Teristraz’s dominance at sea comes not only from skilled sailors and sturdy longships, but also from the unorthodox tactics refined over centuries.
One such tactic is the active use of druids and their mastery of wild shape. Druidcraft holds great respect in Teristraz, for it allows them to become sea creatures that blend seamlessly with the waves. In these forms, druids scout the waters ahead, shadowing potential prey without notice. Some go further still—slipping aboard ships in the guise of animals to sabotage sails, gnaw through ropes, or spread chaos below deck. By the time the longships close in, their victims are already weakened and ripe for plunder.
Among the boldest tricks of Teristraz pirates is their use of great wind-boards: narrow planks bound with ropes and a rig of canvas that catches the sea-breeze. Skilled riders harness the gales to skim across the waves faster than most ships can row. In raids, they launch from their longships or even from hidden coves, darting like seabirds toward their prey.
These wind-riders are used to slip past blockades, board ships suddenly from the flanks, or carry lines to bind vessels together for boarding. On rare occasions, they are even seen leaping from the crests of waves onto a ship’s deck in the middle of battle. To outsiders, the sight of men skimming across the sea as though flying is uncanny and terrifying. To Teristraz, it is simply another example of turning the sea and wind into weapons.
Teristraz political position
All of this gives Teristraz a unique place in Kildar.
On one hand, it is respected for its deep ties to Sova Medvedov and its storied history. The guilds also find much to value here: merchants seek pearls, dyes, and wool; military factions prize the city’s seasoned warriors; knowledge guilds covet rare marine lore; and even the Eldritch Inquisition tolerates Teristraz, as its traditions leave fewer arcane disruptions than elsewhere. Yet Teristraz’s open support of piracy makes cooperation difficult, and nearly every guild carries grievances against it. For now, the city’s usefulness outweighs its dangers—but that balance could shift at any moment.
Politically, Teristraz stands apart. With the guilds now ruling Kildar, most seek only a pliant monarch to serve as their puppet. Teristraz desires the opposite: a strong leader like Sova Medvedov, under whom the realm once thrived. Should such a figure arise, Teristraz would lend its full support. But weak monarchs who allowed guilds to amass power earn only scorn. In a way, the city respects the guilds for seizing what they could—strength deserves its reward. Still, Teristraz waits for the day when true leadership might return to Kildar.
Portal activation
It may come as a surprise, but the Eldritch Inquisition succeeded in activation of a portal in Teristraz—but only through cunning preparation and ruthless determination. Knowing the city would never easily agree, the Inquisition first studied Teristraz in depth, learning its customs, values, and weaknesses. With this knowledge, they devised a plan.
They assembled a formidable squad and sailed to Teristraz, declaring that each of them wished to undertake the rite of passage. The citizens laughed at the boldness of outsiders but agreed. One by one, the inquisitors were sent to Medvedov Island to survive the trial. Against all odds, most returned alive, earning a measure of respect.
Only then did they propose the idea of a portal activation . As expected, the forum rejected it outright. Yet the unexpected came from the chief himself: he suggested the Inquisitors should fight those who opposed the plan, and let strength decide. The citizens approved. What followed was a brutal contest—Teristraz’s finest clashing against the Inquisition’s chosen. When the dust settled, only one inquisitor remained standing. Bloodied but victorious, they had proven their worth.
And with that, the portal was allowed to be activated.