Parika
Parika
Parika is the land situated in the center of the Ice Kingdoms. It is a cold, cruel region of barren plateaus, cave-riddled cliffs, gray wastes, Rhakas war bands, and the terrible dominion of the Ice Lord Daza Kathiz.
Here, the ground rises into numerous plateaus, each nearly 200 feet in height, with ramparts, trails, and rocky roads leading from one to the next. These plateaus are dotted with hundreds of cave openings that lead into the underrealms of Parika and eventually all the way down into sections of Tav Aeduhn.
Most of Parika is a barren waste of cold. Vegetation survives only where it can cling to rugged outcroppings and places sheltered from the cutting winds. The ground itself is dark gray, scoured clean of most fine dirt by constant wind. The whole kingdom is awash in dark grays, dead forests, dried streams, and lifeless stone.
Much of this desolation is caused by the dark power at the heart of the region: Kathrizac, the castle of the Ice Lord Daza Kathiz.
Geography
Most of Parika consists of a number of plateaus, the largest being nearly 250 miles across. These cold, arid tablelands rise about 1,500 feet and slope upward to an elevation of roughly 5,000 feet.
The areas between the plateaus are often broken cliffs and rugged canyons. Nearly all of the plateaus rise quickly, like the tiers of a cake. Some of these rises are only a few hundred feet in height, while others rise in repeated tiers dozens of times within only a few miles.
Atop the largest plateau, the land consists of broad rolling tiers broken by cliffs and small, rugged valleys. This greatest plateau is itself made up of a rising cascade of smaller plateaus, each sitting awkwardly upon the next until the land reaches its massive height of 6,000 feet.
The Demon’s Tower
The central plateau of Parika is known as The Demon’s Tower. It is here that the massive castle of Lord Daza Kathiz sits.
The castle, Kathrizac, is half-buried between the top plateau and the second-highest plateau, as though the entire structure has grown grossly and deformed from the stone itself.
From this terrible seat, the Yaqu lord dominates Parika.
Rule of Daza Kathiz
Though the various Rhakas tribes of Parika often wage war among themselves, all are ultimately under the command and control of the undead lord Daza Kathiz.
From time to time, the Yaqu lord musters his Rhakas legions and attempts to overpower one of the surrounding Ice Kingdom lands. Unlike other Ice Lords, Daza Kathiz does not wish to unify the Ice Kingdoms. He wishes to destroy all other kingdoms and place them under his direct control and domination.
Parika is one of the most feared regions in the Ice Kingdoms because it is not merely wild or lawless. It is ruled by an ancient will that prefers ruin, subjugation, and undeath.
Settlements and Tribute
Although Parika is large by the standards of the Ice Kingdoms, there are very few towns, settlements, or villages that are not controlled by the Rhakas.
The non-Rhakas towns that do exist survive on the larger plateaus, scattered near iron ore mining operations. These settlements are protected by massive walls of dirt and stone, though they are constantly preyed upon by wandering Rhakas war bands.
All towns and villages that exist in this harsh environment pay homage to the Ice Lord through various means. Much of the time, this tribute is paid in gold. However, some small towns and villages are forced to give up their young children to the Ice Lord.
Those towns and villages that have refused tribute in the past have been crushed beneath the boots of Rhakas hordes and their hazor warriors.
Life in Parika
For most people, life within Parika is harsh and unforgiving. Long stretches of arctic weather, loose gray soil, and bitter winds make farming nearly impossible. There is little in the way of crops that can be planted and maintained.
With the weather, roaming Rhakas, undead patrols, bad soil, and the constant threat of the Ice Lord’s attention, there appears to be no good reason for common folk to come to Parika or live within its borders.
Yet beneath the shifting gray soil lie large mines that produce a great volume of raw iron ore. These mines draw hardy and stubborn individuals who gather into towns and camps despite the danger.
Trade with the rest of the Ice Kingdoms and the wider world occurs only when caravans can survive the various “checkpoints” of roaming Rhakas.
In all the Ice Kingdoms, there is no place filled with more misbegotten monstrosities and sinister villains than Parika.
| Parika Information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Ice Kingdom region; plateau realm; undead dominion |
| Region | Ice Kingdoms |
| Ruler | Daza Kathiz |
| Seat of Power | Kathrizac |
| Major Landmark | The Demon’s Tower |
| Terrain | Cold plateaus, rocky roads, broken cliffs, rugged canyons, dead forests, dried streams, cave networks |
| Known For | Rhakas legions, undead armies, iron ore mines, tribute towns, cave openings into Tav Aeduhn |
| Major Inhabitants | Rhakas, undead, hazor warriors, miners, tribute settlements, monstrous war bands |
| Major Threats | Rhakas hordes, undead legions, hazor warriors, Daza Kathiz, hostile terrain, tribute raids |
Adventure Use
Parika is an ideal region for dark military campaigns, survival horror, rescue missions, undead wars, mining-town resistance stories, or adventures involving the schemes of Daza Kathiz.
Possible adventure uses include:
- Escorting a caravan through Rhakas-controlled checkpoints.
- Rescuing children taken as tribute to the Ice Lord.
- Entering a mine that has broken into the underrealms of Parika.
- Sabotaging a Rhakas war muster before it invades a neighboring Ice Kingdom.
- Finding a hidden route into Kathrizac through the cave systems beneath the plateaus.
- Helping a tribute town rebel against Daza Kathiz.
- Investigating why the dead forests of Parika have begun spreading beyond the plateaus.
