Guadalante (Estado de)

Location: West of Saragón, north of El Grande Carrascal, South and East of the Yazzak Steppes.
Area: 11,300 sq. mi.
Population: 7,500, including 6,300 in Ciudad Huelca.
Languages: Slag Common (Espan Dialect).
Coinage: Oro (gp), dies (sp) and centa (cp).
Taxes: 25% income tax.
Government Type: Independent barony part of the Treaty of Tampico and Signatory Council.
Industries: Cattle and horses.
Important Figures: Señor Crístobal "El Barbudo" Bigotillos y Copetez (baron, human, male, R10).
Flora and Fauna: Standard for its warm temperate climate, including kudzu, tomatoes, potatoes, maize, plains grasses, deer, armadillos, prairie dogs, turkeys, and eagles. Dangerous monsters include the vast number of goblinoids that raid from the Yazzak Steppes. Normal animals with Legacies can also be very dangerous.
Further Reading: The Savage Coast online document.

Description: by Rikard Prospero

Guadalante is a small nation that is part of Savage Baronies. Collectively called the Guardianos, because they guard the rest of the Savage Coast from Hule, the people of the baronies are well respected by the other nations, even though there is hardly any contact between them.

The Land

Guadalante is nothing more than a large expanse of grassland that serves as grazing land for the numerous cattle and horses found in the barony. Only the Río Copos and Río Negro break the monotonous terrain. The land along these rivers are fertile farmlands which produce food for the nation.

Scattered throughout this land are the haciendas [household. Ed.] of the various rich cattle-trading families. Only two communities exist in Guadalante, most families preferring to stay in their own fortified hacienda. Ciudad Huelca is the capital, boasting a population of just over 6000, while Dos Cabezas Hacienda is a small village of about 300. To few crafters, merchants, and labourers of the barony come from these two communities.

The People

The humans of Guadalante, like the rest of the Baronies, tend to be moderately dark-skinned. The Red Curse also gives them red overtones. Most humans have straight, black or deep red hair. Other races are rare in Guadalante, and goblinoids, rakasta, and lupins are disliked. If any other race is present enough to be called Guadalantans, it would be the occasional tortle who works in the haciendas of the wealthy merchants.

Guadalantans are crude ruffians who simply cannot appreciate the finer things in life. Most would rather sleep on the ground, outside beneath the stars than in a warm, comfortable bed at a local inn.

Guadalantans are proud of their freedom and will do anything to keep it. They are individualistic, and most take care of themselves. The gaucho are the respected heroes here; they are warriors of the ranges who ride horse and wield wheellock pistols with skill. They are by far the roughest, crudest, and rowdiest bunch in the entire Savage Baronies.

Guadalantans ignore the Red Curse until it affects them directly. Since cinnabryl is rare and expensive, most keep the Red Curse at bay by visiting the local clergy for a Maintain spell. Afflicted are treated as less then human in Guadalante, so they often live in their own houses far away from any human community. Some haciendas are composed entirely of Afflicted.

Recent History

Guadalante has had a very peaceful past when compared with the other baronies. Guadalante was founded in AC 985 when the baronies of Copetez and Bigotillos united together when their respective heirs were married.

In AC 992, Guadalante fought with Saragón over watering rights, but after one quick battle, the two nations came to an agreement with the Treaty of Cortesillas.

Guadalante remained quiet until AC 1006 when it joined forces with the other southern baronies to defend against Narvaez and its allies. It then joined all the baronies to repulse the invading forces of Hule.

In AC 1007, goblinoids invaded the land and caused much damage to numerous haciendas of Guadalante. Finally, in AC 1009, a week without magic release the Red Curse into the area, and people were forced to adapt to the curse by finding cinnabryl or begging priests to cast a Maintain spell on them.

Since then, Guadalante has minded its own business and been left alone by the other baronies, just as it prefers.