Kingdom of Drikjur

The Isle of Drikjur

Along the eastern coast of Laridian lies Drikjur, a rugged and forest-shrouded island kingdom whose beauty is matched only by the resilience of its people. The land rises from rocky shores into a mantle of ancient green, with pine-clad cliffs, shadowed groves, and winding streams that cut silver paths through the wilderness. Nearly every settlement rests where forest and sea meet, for the Worrel, the halfling folk of Drikjur, are a people bound equally to tree and wave.

The island breathes with life, both mortal and unseen. Villages of burrows nestled into mossy hillsides mingle with airy homes raised high among branches, creating communities that feel grown rather than built. Lanterns burn warm in the twilight, their glow joining fireflies in the canopy, while the sea's rhythm beats against the kingdom's heart. Though seemingly humble, Drikjur is a place of profound strength, for its people hold fast to tradition, craft, and loyalty, and when roused, defend their homes with the cunning of the forest itself.

People of Drikjur

Drikjur is home to some nine hundred thousand Worrel, a halfling folk of peace-loving temperament yet fierce defenders when pressed. Cheerful and industrious, they delight in craft, song, and the weaving of stories as much as in the shaping of wood and stone. Their dress is colorful but practical, stitched in patterns echoing leaves, waves, and stars. While the Common tongue is widely spoken, most converse daily in their native speech, and many are fluent in Elven, a reflection of centuries of shared respect with neighboring peoples.

Worrel society is tightly knit. Villages typically number between thirty and three hundred, each bound by clan oaths sworn beneath great trees or carved into stone markers. Leadership is distributed among priests, warriors, and elders, ensuring that both wisdom and defense are always close at hand. In communities of greater size, champions of renown dwell among the people, veterans whose skill in battle is matched by reverence for their heritage. Such leaders, clad in chain and bearing heirloom weapons, are rare but deeply honored.

Though they prefer harmony, Worrel are not naive. They train with sling and bow from childhood, and their clever tactics have earned them respect from would-be invaders. Skilled at concealment and silent movement, they are said to vanish into the foliage itself, striking unseen before melting back into the shadows of leaf and loam. Resistant to poison, hardy in spirit, and tireless in their defense of kin, the Worrel embody a paradox: gentle in peace, implacable in war.

Faith Beneath the Boughs

The Worrel worship the Aisir, honoring spirits of beast, tree, and sea with rites woven seamlessly into daily life. Sacred groves and hidden shrines dot the forests, where prayers are whispered at dawn or sung at dusk. Leafseers, the priests of Drikjur, guide their communities with visions drawn from wind and root, interpreting omens in the fall of leaves or the flight of birds. Their festivals, marked by lantern-light and feasts of bread and fruit, celebrate the turning seasons, the bounty of the sea, and the enduring bond between the people and their land.

Defenses of the Forest Kingdom

Drikjur does not field a standing army. Instead, its strength lies in its people: every village can raise a Thanehost in times of peril, warriors armed with bows, slings, and short blades, moving through the forests with uncanny stealth. Their tactics rely on deception and precision, feigning retreat to draw foes into ambushes where volleys rain from cover. On the seas, swift longships fashioned from ironwood carry warriors who know every current and cove, striking suddenly and vanishing before an enemy can respond.

The capital, Karrthade, stands as both fortress and harbor, its famed Shipyard of Nine Keels producing vessels that rival any across Laridian. Norfill, deep in the woods, trains the kingdom's finest archers. Coastal towns like Meweld keep watch over trade and tide, while sacred Oahwidth guards the groves of the Leafseers. Even Khornel, a remote hunting settlement, contributes to Drikjur's defense, its woodsmen as dangerous with bow and snare as any soldier with steel.

A History Carved in Bark and Stone

Drikjur has long endured in quiet independence, its forests a shield as much as a home. For centuries the Worrel thrived apart from the mainland's wars, their ships sailing far yet always returning to the green heart of the isle. At times stronger realms sought to bind Drikjur, and during Harak's expansion the kingdom briefly paid tribute. But sovereignty was never truly lost, for even under foreign banners the clans kept their oaths, and their loyalty remained to Crown Thane and forest alike. When Harak's strength waned, Drikjur cast off its chains and reclaimed its freedom without bloodshed.

The fae, who number perhaps one to two million across the island but are never counted among the population, are both neighbors and mysteries. Their presence weaves through Drikjur's story like mist through the trees, sometimes aiding, sometimes hindering, but always reminding the Worrel that the isle belongs as much to dream as to mortal hands.

Today Drikjur stands proud and steadfast, its people bound by song, craft, and the covenant of kinship. Outsiders speak of the Worrel as gentle, but those who have tested the forest kingdom's resolve whisper instead of slings loosed from shadows, ships that glide like spirits upon the waves, and a people who, though small in stature, have proven unshakable as the roots of the trees they call home.

Population Summary:

• Total Population: 900,000 Worrel (halflings)
• Fae presence: 1,000,000-2,000,000 (not included in census)