The Land 
Tarsikka is land of dark forests, murky swamps and mountains steeped in superstition and lore. Everyone must be vigilant against the Shadow, or else fall victim to the creatures in the night. Tarsikka is a nation divided into five large domains, each ruled by a single family. These five families, collectively, form the ruling body of Tarsikka, the Council of Silver. The Council of Silver works, above all else, to protect Tarsikka from the horrors of Shadow. The largest city, and capital, is Atyuren, located in Stele (STAY-lay) County, governed currently by Countess Adriana Tija (TEE zhah), following the death of the last of the Stele line in 1197. Atyuren is known for their production of silver swords, as well as being a center for ritual research. Many commoners know it as the Walled City, or the Shining City, as it is the center of culture for the nation.
The lands simply known as Intuneric (un TOO nair ik) house the ruined city of Arad-Targa, a breeding ground for criminals, cabals, and those that do not want to be found. This is ostensibly ruled by Lord Sorin Nimic (ni MEEK), governing out of the small hamlet-fort of Otthon (OTT hun), with his group of elite swordsmen and ritualists, called the Sorin's Lock. This group deals harshly with those they find dabbling in that which should not be dabbled with. Arad-Targa is a draw for adventurers that hope to get rich as well, either by finding a magical artifact, or by selling the secrets that they uncover.
Tarsikka houses three other cities of note. Trofeu, (TRO fay oo) a sprawling hunting lodge-turned-boomtown, is appealing to Baroness Nicoletta Torca (TOR sah) to become an independent fiefdom. Sufletul Lamenta, also known as the City of Souls, sits guarding the mountain ranges, and serves as home to a group known as the Light Under the Mountain, a sect of holy men and women who protect the secrets of the Tarsikkan dead. The City of Souls houses a grim truth, many believe. Among those believers is Count Octavian Tumul, who dwells in his castle in the city proper. Sare (SAH ray) is a town of superstition and mistrust, though much of the alchemy and armor produced in Tarsikka stems from Hideg Barony, and Sare in particular.