Cambria is the westermost of the three human kingdoms in the North-West of the known world.
It is considered slightly backward by its neighbours despite the fact that it has managed
to keep a stable system of government for over a thousand years. It is true that
Reetland has more large towns and cities than Cambria
but for instance the supposed military superiority of the Reetlanders over the Cambrians
has not been apparent in any of the three wars between the countries. The Cambrians also
have a larger Navy than Reetland and a larger merchant fleet.
It is true that Cambria has a more agrarian population than Reetland and it has
but a single university. Cambrians would argue, however,
that its institutions serve its needs well enough. It has also managed to live peacefully
with its neighbours (except the Reetlanders) for the thousand years of its existence,
Cambria's other neighbours being the
Elves to the West, the
Dwarves to the North and the
Sambians to the South.
Cambria's capital is Pell's Hold
famously founded by its first king
St. James. Its other major city is
ancient Ragenport on its south coast, home of its naval
dockyards. The interior of Cambria is a mixture of hills, forest and farmland. Two of
its ancient forests are still inhabited by the Elves and are not subject to Cambrian law.
The most significant catastrophe to befall Cambria was the enormous release of uncontrolled magical
energy which in the year 837 created
The Rift. Cambria's Northern Plains province lost a full third of its population
in the disaster and its aftermath and it has now become a depopulated zone known as
The Waste. Partly as a result of that trauma people in Cambria tend
to be highly suspicious of magic unless it is sanctioned by the Pelorean Church.
In present day the crusade of the current King,
Burdred against magic and magic users has resulted in a fractured
society with many citizens feeling his actions have been too extreme. In particular
the refusal of the three 'Marcher Lords' to implement his anti-magic laws has left
tha authority of the King in those provinces somewhat weak.