The Grand Duchy of Karameikos

Karameikos is one of the earliest campaign settings, as it was included in the Cook Expert D&D book in 1981, before Dragonlance or Forgotten Realms. Only Greyhawk and Blackmoor can claim earlier publishing as official D&D settings.

Some general points about the official version of the nation that I intend to carry over into my version:

• The coast and lower river areas are relatively well populated and safe. The further upstream and inland you go, the sparser the human habitants and more common the monstrous ones. 
• The human population is a mixture of Traldar (the original inhabitants, rural and superstitious but noble) and Thyatians from the nearby empire (recent immigrants, more civilised and educated but also cynical and untrustworthy). 
• There is a certain element of the "Points of Light" campaign concept in that the southern coast and main river valley are strips of civilization. Moving away from these into the woods and hills and things will get dangerous and unknown. 
• The Black Eagle Barony is the seat of power of a ruthless and evil megalomaniac who happens to be a cousin of the Grand Duke. Although he has not yet threatened the Grand Duchy itself, some say it is only a matter of time. 
• The main city is the estuarine port of Specularum with 50,000 inhabitants. Other large settlements include Kelvin (20,000 inhabitants), Fort Doom (10,000 inhabitants) and Highforge (6500 gnomes, 1000 dwarves).  
• In the woods and forests there are clans of elves and centaurs, as well as hostile tribes of humanoids, and more sinister creatures such as vampires and werewolves. 

In my writings about possible adventures in Karameikos, I shall base what I consider canon on GAZ1: The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, the first of the gazetteers, and set the timeline at AC1000. Lots of other sources mention Karameikos (such as Vaults of Pandius and its associated Threshold magazine) and though I might borrow from them, I won't consider them canon. 

I should also point out that although I will generally stick to the gazetteer, I may change things to suit the adventures I intend to write. 

For more of my writings about Karameikos see:

• Dungeons in Karameikos
• Scenario #1: the Captured Cleric & Scenario #2: the Hunting Lodge
• Tarrag Duun - the Lost Dwarven Fortress
• My Ideas about B2: The Keep on the Borderlands
• Ideas about Penhaligon
• Scenario #3: The Raiders of Guido's Fort
• Tomb of the Frost Shamans
• The Reclusium of Serenity
• Grulven's Prospect
• Dragons of the Black Peaks
• Orders of Mages in Karameikos
• My Ideas about the Town of Luln
• Scenario #5: Slave Raiders!
• Notable Gnomes of Highforge
• My ideas about the villages of Rifllian & Kota-Hutan
• The Battle of Duke's Road Keep
• Koriszegy Keep
• The Tower of Aelarda Starria
• Goblins of the Dymrak Forest
• Chaos in the Black Eagle Barony