It is a melting pot of Evil where the Queen of Darkness is staging her return to Krynn. Let’s learn more about Taman Busuk. Buy Tales of the Lance: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/16961/Tales-of-the-Lance-2e?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
Takhisis couldn’t have found a more vile home to build her Dragonarmies in if she tried…
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about the nation of Taman Busuk. 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
There is something poetic about the nation of Taman Busuk. Not only was it ravaged by the Cataclysm, a location of near inhospitable mountainscapes, but it is filled with the most evil of all races from Ogres, to Goblin kin and in this era of the War of the Lance, the Dragonarmies and Draconians. But more than even that, it is also the last known home of the line of Huma Dragonbane at Castle Nidus where Verminaard was corrupted by the Dark Queen herself. I really love the idea that Takhisis was so filled with hate and the need for revenge on the descendants of the hero who banished her a thousand years before, that she corrupted their line into becoming her own priests, and then she used the land around their home as the staging ground for her new temple and Dragonarmies.
The Nation of Taman Busuk is rather weak, but it contains some of the most militarily powerful and mystical locations on Krynn! This is belied by the population of over two hundred and thirty thousand, primarily composed of humans, and goblins with a fair amount of draconian and ogre population as well. The mountains themselves are covered in sterile soil. In the north, the Taman Busuk borders the nations of Estwild and Kern, and in the south Zhakar. From the sky the north appears as nothing more than stripes of mountains shaped from huge slabs of granite, residue of the pre-cataclysm volcanoes. These mountains frame wide valleys of grassy wasteland. In the south the mountains are even more dense, swallowing the valleys entirely. It features some thirteen active volcanoes which create constant lava flows. Three of which reach into the heart of Sanction, known as the Lords of Doom. Neraka is also surrounded by volcanoes though at a greater distance.
These Khalkist Mountains are in a temperate zone due to their extreme elevation. The summers which last from Corik to Reorxmont receive very little rain, making the mountains feel that much more barren. But from Phoenix to Michamont, the climate changes dramatically, growing incredibly cold with snow collecting higher than a man’s head! It is only the sites around the many volcanoes that resists the spread of the snow. There is a local saying that when Neraka has snow, Sanction has rain. Trade in Taman Busuk is primarily through slavery though mercenaries and weaponry make a close second. Gems from Zhakar and warhorses and spices from Khur are easily found as well. Sanction deals in lime and llamas, and has a thriving black-market which extends up to Neraka. The nomadic barbarians that eek out a living in the north trade in mutton and wool. Most trade is capable only due to the pre-Cataclysm Ancient Road that threads through the valleys of the region. This road, though fragmented in this era, still holds its ancient enchantment in areas which protect those traveling on it.
After the Cataclysm, Takhisis took the cornerstone from the Temple of Istar and planted it in a remote glade. This grew into her Temple of Darkness where she could rally her servants. Travelers who happened upon this location mistook it for the Lost City of Neraka, a pre-cataclysm mountain city that was destroyed. This is where Berem Everman and his sister Jasla were from. Takhisis didn’t mind the mistake as it concealed her machinations so the city of Neraka rose again. This small city had grown into a sprawling maze of filthy streets and hovels, with dens of evil clustered around the temple. There is a permanent garrison of soldiers which support all five wings of her Dragonarmy. It also holds a small enclave of resistance fighters known as the Hidden Light. This is far from the only divinely touched location in Taman Busuk however, as it is also the location of Godshome. This bowl-shaped depression in the mountain top features at its center, a massive polished circle of black rock surrounded by an oddly shaped ring of boulders. It reflects the constellation of the sky, and is surrounded with an aura of power and mystery. Taman Busuk is also the home of the Tower of Gargath, that famed location where the Graygem was contained briefly which ultimately spawned the races of Krynn when released. Its exact location is unknown as it seems to still be under residual effects of the Greygem.
There are three main cities in Taman Busuk, Jelek is the smallest of them which acts as a trading post and outpost supporting the Dragonarmies in the region. It is garrisoned and led by Draconians, yes even before Teyr. Though they don’t run the town, they are the liaisons between the wealthy merchant leaders and Emperor Ariakas, who encourages heavy taxation. Its location makes it both a dreaded and essential stop when traveling through Taman Busuk. Neraka would be the second largest city, but as we’ve discussed it already, let’s talk a little about the largest city in Taman Busuk, Sanction. This city predates the Cataclysm and is the primary port for the nation. It is occupied by the Dragonarmies and is the political center of Takhisis’ empire. This is where Ariakas governs out of, and where the good dragon eggs are actively corrupted into Draconians. It also features a large colony of Shadowpeople beneath the city. It is surrounded by the Lords of Doom which both protect the city, and poison it, preventing any semblance of agriculture.
Life in the nation of Taman Busuk is not easy, but due to its inhospitable nature, those who do live here have grown hard from the environment. As a constant influx of mercenaries to Takhisis’ armies fuels the region, the local barbarian tribes do their best to stick to themselves unless conscripted into service by the Emperor Ariakas. This is a nation of incredible danger, exciting adventure possability and divine presence.
Outro
But that is all I have to say about the geography and people of Taman Busuk in the War of the Lance era. What do you think of the nation? Have you run a War of the Lance era game centered around here? And finally, would you prefer being a freedom fighter or member of the Dragonarmy in Taman Busuk? Leave a comment below.
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No road is ever old.
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