The Grass Sea¶
The Grass Sea
| Where | East of Kaelen |
| Land | Grassland, then savannah, then desert, from west to east |
| People | Nomad clans |
| Border | Kaelen's frontier wall |
Locked A land east of the Kaelen Empire that runs from grassland into savannah and then desert. A few great nomad clans live there, and now and then they invade the Empire. Kaelen built its long frontier wall against them.
The clans¶
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Life | Wandering herds, felt tents, horse races and fierce hospitality to guests |
| Faith | Sky-burial: the dead are left on high ground for the birds |
| Unity | A few great clans, each made of many smaller bands under their own chiefs. They rarely unite |
| Stance on the war | The threat at Kaelen's back. If the clans raid hard, the Empire must choose between its western war and its eastern wall |
Locked (R-029) The grass dries into savannah and then desert as you go east. The name "Grass Sea" fits the western edge, which is all Kaelen sees from its wall.
The Long Road¶
Locked A caravan route beyond the clans' lands, through oases and desert towns, into country even Kaelen barely knows. Silk, horses and strange stories reach the Empire along it. Few Kaelen have walked it to the end.
DM only
DM projection for the Age of Ribbons: three great chiefs unite for a single summer and break the frontier wall in two places.
A real-world comparison
Think of China and the steppe peoples: a great wall, a rich empire behind it, and riders who came over it whenever the empire looked busy elsewhere.
Related¶
Sources¶
- The Aldorian Codex: Lands Beyond, "The wider world", "The Grass Sea and the Long Road"
- Owner's notes of 6 November 2026