It’s known as a home of Kender in the city of Kendermore, but the history and reality of Goodlund is much greater. Let’s learn more about the peninsula of Goodlund. Buy Tales of the Lance: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/16961/Tales-of-the-Lance-2e?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
Duct tape your pouches when visiting.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about the Goodlund Peninsula in the War of the Lance Era. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the Tales of the Lance boxed set and War of the Lance sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
The current state of Goodlund, like many of the regions around the Blood Sea of Istar, are a direct result of the Cataclysm. The region was nearly entirely covered in forest, but once the mountain hit Ansalon, Goodlund was nearly entirely submerged in flood waters. Thousands of Kender and elves lost their lives instantly, and over time, Kender would wandered the north, away from the floodlands, homeless. In sixty-seven Alt Cataclius, a nomadic Kender tribe settled the wooded region of Goodlund and over time more joined them. Hence the city of Kendermore was formed. Kagonesti gathered together in the west, evading murderous humans intent on driving them to extinction, and eventually the centaurs arrived, as the flood waters receded. The ancient Istarian catacombs beneath the Laughing Lands forced its evil races to take to the surface until the flooding receded as well, then only the goblins returned to its depths.
The Goodlund peninsula is composed of three distinct regions. Though it is known as a great forested plain, the erratic Blood Sea forces tropical weather further south, causing incredible temperatures to persist, affecting the natural climate of the area. The stubborn grasslands of the west transition to lush forests and verdant fields. The dense Kenderwood forest in the northwest runs south into a twenty-five mile strip before once again opening in the south. The east features the Wendlewrithing River where many Kender live in settlements. Beyond the Wendlewrithing River are the Laughing Lands. These seemingly endless dry grass plains are broken up by sandy wastes and barren rock, the result of the cataclysmic heat, turning the land to glass. Continuing east is the Maw, rolling grasslands of the Dairly Plains. This wild and erratic land is punished most by the Blood Sea as its storms are violent and dangerous to all travelers.
The capital of Goodlund is Kendermore, and the Kender make up the largest portion of the population at about fifty-two percent. Coming in around twenty percent are nomadic human tribes, with Sligs, gnolls, Kagonesti elves, goblins, and centaurs making up the majority of what remains. Aside from the Kender and their particular form of government, the wandering tribes keep mostly to themselves, as this is truly a barren land compared to the rest of Ansalon. As mentioned previously, the north of Goodlund borders the Blood Sea which forces warmer weather south, creating summers that last most of the year. The sheer heat dries out the Laughing Lands and Maw where lightning strikes cause massive plains fires most of the year round. Goodlund never sees snow, with winters only dulling the ever present heat.
Life in Goodlund isn’t all hardships however. The heat makes growing food in the west easier, and Kender only encourages visitors and trade. They spend most of their time outdoors connecting with the land and its inhabitants, at times to the disdain of visitors. The population works in harmony for the most part however, as the Kagonesti have migrated from the west and keep to themselves, the smaller and less aggressive centaur tribes are on friendly terms with both Kender and elven groups. The Laughing Lands are vastly different, where scattered villages of Sligs fend off roaming tribes of Gnolls. Their hyena-like laughter echoes through the wastes giving it its name. Beneath the surface of the tributary known as Lifesbreath are ancient catacombs filled with Goblins. Further east in the Dairly Plains the nomadic humans are not unlike the plainsman tribes of Abanasinia, where they keep to themselves and worship their ancestors.
The Dragonarmies in the Age of Despair have largely stopped trying to occupy Goodlund as its residents are not intimidated by their black dragons. Kronin Thistleknot is actively plotting ways to rid the area of the Dragonarmies altogether. The centaurs of the Tistlewood are the most disrupted as the Dragonarmy has cut pathways through the forest to transfer goods and troops from the east to the west. The Dragonarmies have set black dragons to exterminate the Kagonesti and Centaurs, but these races are elusive and avoid any contact with them. The races of the Laughing Lands are subjugated into the Dark Queens Service while the plainsmen of the Maw resist the Dark Queens forces.
There are some areas of note however. In the West there are no greater settlements than Kedermore. It has a population of nearly five thousand and appears to be by and large a traditionally human looking city. It is a hodgepodge of architectural styles, with some buildings left intentionally incomplete. Its winding streets and meandering shortcuts will cause anyone new to get lost, spending hours to get to a location only a few hundred yards distant as the bird flies. Woodsedge is the next largest town with over a thousand Kender. It is a hub for pirates in the north and Sligs in the east. It is in the center of the dense forest, the Kender built their homes in harmony with the surroundings, so their neighbors are unaware of their town by and large. In the south is Balinost where the Kagonesti dwell. Their village hosts under a thousand. They keep strangers away with their forest residents, both the flora and fauna. They are grudgingly respectful of elves, and friendly toward the Kender. Trade is a small hamlet of under four hundred in the north of Kenderwood. It was once part of a vibrant coastal community for Kender but pirates have left it nearly uninhabited save for this town. The pirates now occupy this dilapidated area as it is the safest place to land in the region. Hillshar is a tiny hamlet of just over a hundred. It is located near the Bristle River and hosts Kender. They live around a small spring atop a one hundred and fifty foot high stone peak.
Beasts Run in the south is the most ancient of forests in Goodlund. The trees are towering and thick. The Kagonesti named the forest after Chislev, believing they saved it for the elves. Haunting located south of Kenderwood is believed to be inhabited by witches. In reality there is a coven of hags who do dwell here and rumors of a walking hut are ever present. Talin was an ancient elven city but is now lost to time. Its buildings are collapsed, rotten and overgrown. Gully Dwarves of the Glug clan have taken up residence declaring it The Place.
The Laughing Lands feature the villages of Ripzh, Ssthik, Szlash, and Falsh with a combined population of over a thousand. These villages are the homes of the slig tribes, each is heavily fortified with wooden palisades and hidden traps to fend off the roaming Gnoll warbands. The Lifesbreath River meanders south of the Laughing Lands into the Dairly Plains. It is a region inhabited by Goblin tribes that war with the sligs.
Blood Watch was originally built by Istar to fend off barbarian and ogre hoards in the southern sea of Shifting Sands. Once known as the fortress of Yandol, a center for trade and religious instruction, this ruins is believed to be haunted by those who died in the Cataclysm. The Elian Wilds is an island just east of the Dairly Plains. Scion’s transported barbarians here to experiment on developing a perfect human race. It has remained isolated for a thousand years due to the numerous reefs surrounding it. The humans who live here practice a martial existence sharpening their minds and bodies. Maddening Springs is believed to be able to cure any illness. Its crystal waters are hidden in a maze of rock outcroppings, but it is believed to turn you mad if you visit them more than once.
Outro
And that is all I have to say about the Goodlund Peninsula in the War of the Lance Era. What do you think about the Elian Wilds? Would you visit the Kenderwood for trade? And finally, would you undertake an expedition into the ancient catacombs? Leave a comment below.
I would like to take a moment and remind you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos and click the like button. This all goes to help other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember:
Kender are the true innocents of this world. They remind us that we spend a great deal of time and energy worrying about things that are really not very important.
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