Sorrel --
((That's fine -- Hattoris shall be the large island north of Lyraedium, the easternmost country on the main continent. The culture is warlike and seafaring; Hattoran merchants are known for changing their flags to pirate colors when advantageous. There are many changes of government, depending on who is weak and who is strong; but the "Rebellion" happened some 600 years ago, when they threw off the colonial government of Imperial Lyraedium and took their own independence.
As for the plague, here's the stuff "everyone" knows [reposted and edited from the opening intro thread on BG]: " The season is late fall. Winter has been skulking in the dead of night, leaving frost on the leaves in the morning as evidence, but the unseasonal torrential rains of the past month speak of Summer's tenacity, even this far north. Traders speak of plague in the northern countries, striking down even the most hale of folk, though most of Escanthia seems to have been spared thus far. Refugees have been fleeing south across the Inland Sea, and few travelers come the other way. Still, with the Hallow Feast in the near future, everyone's spirits remain relatively bright."
As someone more connected to the outside world and the goings-on thereof, you know a little more detail. Mercatis (the country immediately southwest of Escanthia) has been hit hard by the plague, including a couple members of the Royal family. The plague seems to have arisen on the northwestern side of the Inland Sea, and is worst in Paneron, Eulania, and Amalion. It's spreading more east and north, and refugees who can't make it across the Sea have been fleeing into Escanthia, towards the snowline.
This plague is notable for striking down people who seemed completely healthy (and sparing the sickly), with few or no symptoms. These factors has increased the panic significantly, and some communities have been closing their doors to outsiders in the hopes of keeping the plague out.))
Kyle --
((I'll give you a quick overview of the places marked on the map, and then in the future if there's something you would have learned I'll either PM you or give you a bonus on a knowledge check. Sound good?
The first pin was in Escanthia, so we'll skip that one. The second is in Assynia, which is where Khatyan was from. Assynia is a land of deserts (west) and swamps (east); most of the civilization lives on the curvy strip of extremely fertile land between them. There are a few big cities, but the largest and most cosmopolitan is Guqar, on the southern coast; it's renowned for the Library of Thoth, one of the largest collections of books in the world, maintained by the Temple of Thoth.
The third pin is Aquon. Aquon is quite warm, and extremely marshy. It's less of a unified country and more a loose collection of principalities; while there's a nominal Council of Princes that meets every few years, the meetings usually descend into bickering. There are several large cities, each of which is under almost constant construction as the Princes who rule them try to outdo their neighbors.
The fourth pin is Eulania, which is a refined, rich country of merchants. The rolling plains are fertile and breed excellent horses, while the access to the Inland Sea means a lot of ships bearing goods around. There's no royalty, only a Senate populated by the heads of the Merchant Houses; political maneuvering and backstabbing is frowned upon in favor of practicality, because everyone wants to make money.
The fifth pin is Estium, which is a rather exotic place covered almost entirely by forests. The country is run by elves and half-elves, and you don't know much about it.
The sixth pin is Xanodor, which almost nothing is known about. There are rumors of traders from there, but nothing reliable.))
