Koin+and+the+Northeast

__Koin and the Northeast__
__**Koin**__ is a collection of 6 small towns that during the Third Empire marked its westernmost territory. Relatively unimportant otherwise, they held an eastern garrison of Uruk-hai orcs, and the invasion of the West began there. Of the 6 towns, 5 were of humans and were known for their skilled craftsmen. This reputation has increased since CometFall, since Koin was pretty much spared all the chaos the infected the rest of the world, leaving it one of the few places still producing high-quality goods. The sixth town was of Uruk-hai, the guardians of the towns. Those Uruk-hai were slowly changed into mostly Lawful Neutral, honorable warriors by their leader, an excommunicated paladin of Sif whose soul had been brought back and enslaved by the East. Together with the Guildmasters of Koin, Koin was set up with a free government led by Guildmasters and focusing on free trade between the East and the West, but free of Eastern control. With Cometfall, he was freed to begin his policy of conversion of the Uruk-hai as his means of regaining the favor of Sif. He succeeded in around 1105 AF, 108 years after Cometfall, and was granted release from his Unlife and Banishment from Sif's presence. With the consolidation of power under the new Overlord of the City State, Koin has fallen under their "protection". The Uruk-hai, left without purpose and being a bit ostracized, moved into the Great Forest to set up a town there and act as its protectors, under the authority of the Druids.


 * __The Great Forest and the Ranger War__**. The Great Forest, which stretches between Koin and the Great Swamp and up to the northern coast, is a vast area of largely pristine forest. Small hamlets are scattered about, each consisting of maybe a dozen families eking out a subsistance level existence. Most are farmers, hunters, and trappers. The Druids have claimed the whole area, and have set up about a dozen territories each protected by a Ranger. About 3 years ago, the highest level ranger, Randall, allied with the shadow dragon and began a war. Most of the other rangers were killed and many hamlets were wiped out. Our party was in the forest at the time and helped to end the war by killing Randall and his subcommanders and also by assisting the gnolls to rebel against the shadow dragon and abandon the war. Since then the forest has been repopulated to about where it was before. New rangers have been assigned, and many of the refugees from the Iron Peaks (see game logs "Tepes") were resettled there.

Note update: To help maintain regional stability and support a couple of Rangers, Raven had Sherman "retire" as his war-mount and with his freed clan of fellow draco fire-lizards, settle in the south central area of the forest. They provide backup for the rangers as needed and in turn are protected by the rangers as well.