TEXT: Lands in Shadow for 
  Shadow of the Demon Lord
  ~Credits~
  Writing and Design: 
  Skip Williams
  Development: Robert J. Schwalb
  Editing: Tom Cadorette
  Art Direction: Kara Hamilton and Robert J. Schwalb
  Proofreading: Jay Spight
  Graphic Design and Layout: Kara Hamilton
  Illustrations: Kim Van Deun
  Cartography: Cecil Howe
  Low Country is ©2018 Schwalb Entertainment, LLC. 
  All rights reserved.
  Shadow of the Demon Lord, Lands in Shadow, Low Country,
  Schwalb Entertainment, and their associated logos 
  are trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
  SCHWALB ENTERTAINMENT, LLC
  PO Box #12548, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
  info@schwalbentertainment.com      www.schwalbentertainment.com
  1
  Lands in Shadow for 
  Shadow of the Demon Lord
  Lands in Shadow for 
  Shadow of the Demon Lord
  Lands in Shadow for 
  Lands in Shadow for 
  Shadow of the Demon Lord
  An imperial backwater by almost any deﬁ nition, Low 
  Country earns its importance by being the Empire’s 
  breadbasket. Widely regarded as a sleepy place where 
  little happens, Low Country hides its share of secrets and 
  intrigues, especially now as the Empire unravels.
   Thanks to the tireless eﬀ orts of halﬂ ing settlers, Low 
  Country has shaken oﬀ  its origins as an uninhabited 
  wilderness to become an agricultural powerhouse. Ostensibly 
  still loyal to the Empire, despite the orc-king Drudge sitting 
  upon a usurped Alabaster Throne, Low Country’s hard-
  working halﬂ ing farmers continue to keep the rest of the 
  Empire fed. For how much longer, no one knows.
   This entry of the Lands in Shadow series, Low Country, 
  reveals details about a crucial imperial province and oﬀ ers 
  a closer look at the peoples, places, and circumstances that 
  make up life here. Whether you use this supplement to 
  expand your knowledge of the continent of Rûl, to draw 
  inspiration for characters hailing from these lands, or to use 
  it as a backdrop for your campaign, Low Country proves an 
  excellent resource for your Shadow of the Demon Lord games.
  
  2
  New Roots
  As revealed in Uncommon Courage, halﬂ ings share common 
  origins with humanity and can trace their roots back as far 
  as the First People of Rûl. With the coming of the Kalasans, 
  the halﬂ ings migrated west to the northern portion of 
  Endless Steppe, where they settled near the western 
  foothills of the Shield Mountains. The peaceful halﬂ ings 
  wanted no part of the Kalasan wars of conquest, either as 
  victims or as allies.
   Their settlements west of the mountains persisted for the 
  better part of two centuries until conﬂ icts arose between 
  them and the indigenous centaurs. Less than a generation 
  after relations soured, the halﬂ ings abandoned their farms 
  and communities to migrate back over the mountains to 
  lands they had abandoned long ago. Having ﬂ ed a land 
  once steeped in bloodshed and turmoil, they returned to a 
  powerful empire that had restored order and established 
  the rule of law.
   Ever adaptable, many halﬂ ings established themselves 
  as merchants or artisans throughout the Empire. Others 
  found places with the imperial armies as quartermasters, 
  scouts, and spies. Inevitably, though, some halﬂ ings became 
  entangled with greedy, cruel, or dishonest folk who saw the 
  newly arrived halﬂ ings as ripe for ﬂ eecing, or worse.
   The vast majority of the displaced halﬂ ings simply craved 
  a return to a quiet, agrarian lifestyle they had once enjoyed, 
  and looked to ﬁ nd new lands to settle. As immigrants into 
  the Empire, they were careful to recognize and obey all 
  imperial prerogatives and authority in order to curry favor 
  from the Emperor himself down to the lowest minor oﬃ  cial 
  and landholder. Because of this obeisance, many were able 
  to obtain grants of land where they could live more or less 
  independently, usually in return for portions of whatever 
  they could produce paid to the Empire as rent. 
   In the Empire’s westernmost lands, however, there wasn’t 
  enough suitable land available for the large inﬂ ux of the 
  smallfolk. It wasn’t long before the halﬂ ing elders turned 
  their eyes farther east, seeing an opportunity in the unsettled 
  rolling lands between the Lake of Dreams and the eastern 
  slopes of the Shield Mountains, referred to as Low Country.
   During their war against the Men of Gog, the Kalasans 
  marched through this uninhabited region of lakes and 
  grassy hills in their drive to seize what would become the 
  imperial capital of Caecras. The warlord Eronymous was 
  quick to recognize the area’s potential as a great agricultural 
  resource, but knew that rich farmland wouldn’t do him 
  much good unless he defeated the Witch-king ﬁ rst. Setting 
  his eyes on richer prizes to the west, the would-be emperor 
  left several bands of soldiers behind as garrisons to secure 
  the region, as well as forage for food and supplies for his 
  armies.
   After the wars of conquest wound down, when the 
  newly proclaimed Emperor Eronymous awarded land to 
  his followers, few sought to claim ﬁ efs in Low Country. 
  The emperor’s new vassals vastly preferred holdings much 
  closer to the seat of imperial power in Caecras, where 
  they could remain close to the emperor in order to obtain 
  a choice oﬃ  ce or title, or simply hold their own in the 
  constant scheming and intrigues among the members of 
  the imperial court.
   There were practical considerations as well. Rûl 
  remained a dangerous place for the newly minted Kalasan 
  nobility in the Empire’s early years. Plenty of the Witch-
  King’s former allies and minions still roamed the lands. 
  The hills and mountains west of Caecras hid legions of 
  deadly monsters, ever eager to pick oﬀ  travelers or isolated 
  imperial settlements. Farther east and south, the broken 
  country around Heartless Lake harbored considerable 
  numbers of fey folk, very few of whom remained friendly to 
  their erstwhile Kalasan allies after Eronymous turned his 
  back on them to forge himself an empire. 
   After the defeat of the three Hags and the establishment 
  of the Grand Duchy of the West (see The Grand Duchy), 
  many fey ﬂ ed to Low Country, posing a threat to the few 
  human settlements there, as well as discouraging any new 
  waves of Kalasan emigration. 
   Consequentially, Low Country would remain a mostly 
  unsettled wilderness for the next two centuries. Eronymous 
  and succeeding emperors maintained garrisons there to 
  fend oﬀ  attacks from the east. Because of its remoteness, the 
  region became widely regarded as a hardship post, suitable 
  only for the unambitious or for any who might have reason 
  to avoid the attention of the imperial court.
   The return of the halﬂ ings changed all that. Several 
  halﬂ ing elders, eager to help their people ﬁ nd a new 
  homeland, wormed their way into and through the 
  imperial bureaucracy. They eventually won an audience 
  with Emperor Frixonos in order to plead their case for 
  lands of their own. A shrewd man in his own right, the 
  emperor realized that this large inﬂ ux of refugees could be 
  transformed into grateful and loyal subjects, who would in 
  turn transform the wilderness into rich farmland. 
   Seeing a win-win situation for both parties, Frixonos and 
  the halﬂ ing elders swiftly reached an accord. Any halﬂ ing 
  not already beholden to an imperial noble or convicted of a 
  crime would receive a grant of land in Low Country, if they 
  so desired. The new landholders would also be provided 
  protection by the existing imperial garrisons.
   In return, the settlers pledged to put their newly 
  granted land under the plow, or develop it in some other 
  suitable and productive way. They agreed to give a share 
  of everything they produced to the Empire, paid as an 
  annual tax to their local imperial representative, usually 
  the nearest garrison commander. The settlers would also be 
  required to assist with the defense of the land whenever the 
  need arose.
   The arrangement turned out better than either the 
  emperor or the halﬂ ings dared hope. The smallfolk quickly 
  moved in and began working the land, gaining a reputation 
  with the human inhabitants of Low County as hard workers 
  and good neighbors. The halﬂ ings even managed to 
  develop good relations with most of the local fey. 
  
  3
   In just a few decades, the halﬂ ings converted their 
  adopted country from a sparsely settled and dangerous 
  wilderness into what would eventually become one 
  of the most fertile and prosperous provinces of the 
  Empire.
  A Varied Land
  Most of the Empire believes Low Country to be little 
  more than an unending plain, ﬂ at as a tabletop, 
  covered in grassland and grain ﬁ elds, dotted here and 
  there with a few lakes and a few more halﬂ ing villages. 
  While that view has some grain of truth to it, it does 
  not take into account the full reality of what the region 
  has become over the centuries.
  Borders
  According to the borders deﬁ ned by imperial records, 
  Low Country extends from the Shield Mountains in 
  the west to the Lake of Dreams in the east, and from 
  Caecras in the north to the Salt Sea in the south. It 
  is a vast and seemingly limitless land, more than 
  800,000 square miles. The country’s northwest corner 
  is the most densely settled, dotted by a large number 
  of halﬂ ing settlements on the eastern shore of the 
  Lake of Dreams. The land slowly gives over to large 
  stretches of wilderness south of Heartless Lake and 
  the surrounding badlands. Only the hardiest (or most 
  desperate) halﬂ ing settlers dare to venture south of the 
  badlands.
  Geography
  Rolling hills cover most of Low Country, rising and 
  falling like vast, green ocean waves, forming a series of 
  ridges that lie roughly parallel to the Shield Mountains 
  to the west. The hills become wider and lower as they 
  approach the Lake of Dreams and the eastern border. 
  Notable landmarks include: 
   Central Lakes: This chain of ﬁ ve major lakes, with a 
  network of numerous smaller lakes connected to them, 
  sits in the heart of the region amid rugged, forested 
  hills that supply the bulk of Low Country’s timber. All 
  the lakes are narrow, murky, and very deep—at least 
  600 feet or more—the largest being Heartless Lake, at 
  the northeast end of the chain.
   Highsprings: The largest settlement in the Low 
  Country, this walled town is home to more than 10,000 
  souls, of which most are human. From its location in 
  the southeast corner of the West Riding, Highsprings 
  is the center point for the collection of imperial taxes 
  ﬂ owing to Caecras from the West and South Ridings.
   Lake of Dreams: Larger than all the Central Lakes 
  put together, the Lake of Dreams is a bountiful ﬁ shery. 
  The submerged ruins of an ancient city are said to 
  lie somewhere near the western shore, not far from 
  the village of Bolling Falls. The water in the Lake of 
  
  4
  Dreams is much clearer than that of the Central Lakes, 
  and deeper as well, reputedly more than 1,000 feet in some 
  places.
   The Serpent’s Tongue: The tallest summit in the broken 
  country east of the Central Lakes, this low mountain—a 
  mere hill compared to the Shield Mountains far to the 
  west—has a bare, rocky summit split into a forked pair 
  of stone spires, hence its name. The Serpent’s Tongue is 
  reputed to be home to the court of the fey Queen Kayrodil 
  Leafwhite (see the “Major Players” section).
  Politics
  Low Country is considered a province of the Empire—at 
  least on paper. Technically, all landowners hold their 
  property directly from the emperor, with nearly all 
  halﬂ ings tracing their ownership back to the original 
  settlement charter granted by Emperor Frixonos. There 
  are a few human ﬁ efholders as well, most of whom hold 
  titles of nobility as descendants from the original garrison 
  commanders appointed by Eronymous.
   Despite the horror of the orc rebellion in Caecras and the 
  threat of continent-wide war to come, the Ruling Council 
  of Low Country has re-aﬃ  rmed their allegiance to the 
  Alabaster Throne. This decision is pragmatic rather than 
  one based on any real feelings of loyalty or nostalgia. The 
  halﬂ ings believe it is best to keep whoever holds power in 
  Caecras happy in order to avoid being considered a target 
  for any potential military incursions—especially from orcs 
  who see little diﬀ erence between the humans of the Empire 
  who enslaved them and the halﬂ ings who work hard to 
  keep much of that Empire fed.
   The halﬂ ings have likewise maintained fairly cordial 
  relations with the rest of their neighbors. To the south, the 
  rulers in Balgrendia and the March Lands are content to 
  leave the halﬂ ings to their farms and ﬁ elds. To the west, 
  the aristocrats of the Grand Duchy jealously guard their 
  borders, lest any of their disaﬀ ected serfs try to escape that 
  bleak land into Low Country’s southern wilderness; here, 
  the halﬂ ings keep a strong guard in the west, mostly to keep 
  armed parties from the Grand Duchy on their own side of 
  the border. As a matter of policy, the halﬂ ings return any 
  fugitive Duchy serfs or slaves caught within three leagues 
  of the border; anyone else apprehended is released unless 
  they are deemed a threat to Low Country. 
   To the east, there has always been grousing and 
  grumbling from the various autarchs of the Confederacy 
  of Nine Cities, complaining about commerce rights to the 
  resources of the Lake of Dreams. The autarchs’ inability 
  to take uniﬁ ed action against the halﬂ ings, or for even one 
  of them to undertake anything that involves any kind of 
  risk, helps keep the issue a low-key disagreement rather 
  than a serious matter. For now, that is, as the collapse of the 
  Empire has changed everything.  
   The forests around Heartless Lake are home to the court 
  of Queen Kayrodil Leafwhite, who rules over a realm of 
  elves and sundry fey creatures. The halﬂ ings are content 
  to leave the wooded heights to the queen and her subjects. 
  They conduct limited trade with the Queen’s court, 
  consisting mostly of foodstuﬀ s, textiles, and manufactured 
  goods in exchange for luxury items crafted by the fey. Any 
  halﬂ ing woodcutters who harvest lumber from the area 
  also pay Queen Kayrodil an annual tithe.
  Internal Politics
  The basic political unit in Low Lands is the fold. A typical 
  fold is no more than seven miles across, comprised of 
  two to three agricultural villages and numerous outlying 
  farms scattered about. Each fold is home to a few halﬂ ing 
  kinships, with several families in each kinship. The folds 
  themselves are organized into three larger units called 
  “ridings,” roughly arranged along geographical lines: the 
  West Riding (nearest the Shield Mountains), the East 
  Riding (nearest the Lake of Dreams), and the South Riding 
  (south of Heartless Lake).
   Each fold has a sheriﬀ  and an elder elected by the senior 
  halﬂ ings of each kinship. Once elected, most elders and 
  sheriﬀ s serve for life unless they are removed by their 
  community. Every seven years the elders of all the folds 
  gather to elect a high elder and a high sheriﬀ  for each 
  riding. The high elders and sheriﬀ s are tasked with tending 
  to any matter aﬀ ecting multiple folds or the entire riding. 
   The six high oﬃ  cers of the three ridings form the Ruling 
  Council, which meets at least once a year, sometimes more, 
  to deal with any matters that aﬀ ect all of Low Country. The 
  six councilors elect a Warden to lead the council for the 
  duration of each council meeting. Since the orc revolt in 
  Caecras, the Ruling Council has convened monthly in order 
  to consider and deal with the new and continually evolving 
  state of aﬀ airs in Rûl.
   Human holdings are also found throughout Low 
  Country, their origins dating back to the original garrisons 
  Eronymous established to secure the lands. Today, most of 
  these holdings have become towns with mixed populations 
  of humans, halﬂ ings, and a variety of other ancestries. The 
  human settlements remain independent of the halﬂ ing 
  elders and sheriﬀ s, although they are an integral part of 
  Low Country’s economy, as most of them have bustling 
  marketplaces where halﬂ ings from all over Low County 
  exchange goods and services.
  Society
  Social ties in Low Country depend entirely on kinship and 
  locality. Nearly every halﬂ ing family can trace its origins back 
  to a settler who was part of the original charter granted by 
  Emperor Frixonos, with many who can trace lineages even 
  farther back. Kinships take full responsibilty for all their 
  members, seeing that each member is fed, clothed, housed, 
  and involved in some form of gainful work.
  
  5
   Individual halﬂ ings either enjoy a great deal of personal 
  freedom, or very little, depending on how tightly their 
  kinship decides to hold the reins. Even when burdened 
  with an authoritarian kinship, a halﬂ ing might still have 
  considerable independence so long as they prove adept at 
  obtaining approval from the kinship elders.
   Over the years, most Low Country kinships have spread 
  over multiple folds and sometimes over multiple ridings. 
  Consequently, individual halﬂ ings also form bonds with 
  their neighbors in the fold where they live, especially 
  neighbors of their own age.
  The Kinless
  Halﬂ ings who choose to sever their kinship ties (or have 
  them severed against their will) face a life without a home 
  or job in the fold where they live, owning only what they 
  can wear or carry. Outcasts for all intents and purposes, 
  some kinless halﬂ ings leave their folds in search of new 
  opportunities; some of these travel beyond the borders, 
  usually to the March Lands, Balgrendia, or one of the Nine 
  Cities. Many kinless ﬁ nd homes and work in the human 
  settlements of Low Country. Those with a true pioneering 
  spirit might choose to live in the somewhat wild South 
  Riding or even seek a place in the court of Queen Kayrodil.
   But most kinless halﬂ ings who remain in Low Country 
  usually seek out landholders or others of means willing 
  to accept their service as indentured servants. Such 
  arrangements usually last for seven years. The halﬂ ing 
  becomes a servant to his or her new master or mistress, 
  receiving bed and board in exchange for labor and service. 
  The indentured servant is essentially a slave, having no 
  voice or vote in any matters aﬀ ecting his or her master’s 
  kinship or the fold. At the end of the seven years, the 
  halﬂ ing is released from service, free to take any goods or 
  wealth he or she has honestly accumulated during that 
  time. The halﬂ ing can choose to break the agreement 
  and leave earlier, but must surrender half, or sometimes 
  more, of his or her goods to their master or mistress before 
  leaving. More often than not, this is too much for the 
  halﬂ ing to bear, so he or she remains until his or her term 
  of service comes to an end.
   If the halﬂ ing has incurred any debts, he or she must pay 
  them before moving on. If this isn’t possible, the kinless 
  halﬂ ing must ﬁ nd some way to pay the debts, usually by 
  bargaining for a new term of indenture. It is common for 
  a halﬂ ing servant to take up some trade on the side while 
  indentured, earning extra wealth to secure his or her future. 
  An indentured halﬂ ing who has accumulated nothing is 
  free to leave, unless he or she has incurred debts. A very 
  unfortunate halﬂ ing might become so deeply in debt that 
  he or she never becomes free.
  Non-Halflings
  Low Country is home to many non-halﬂ ings. Most of these 
  individuals dwell in the towns, where they live as free 
  people or as servants to the local human lord. Such people 
  include artisans, merchants, laborers, or even farmers 
  working land leased or granted from the lord.
   Outside the towns, any non-halﬂ ing is considered as a 
  kinless halﬂ ing unless the individual can claim protection 
  from one of the human lords or as a member of Queen 
  Kayrodil’s court. One can ﬁ nd humans, dwarfs, or people 
  of many other ancestries serving as workers in the folds, 
  especially in jobs where muscle is needed, such as 
  smithing, plowing, quarrying, and similar heavy work.
  Major Players
  The business of day-to-day life is handled easily and 
  eﬃ  ciently by the kinships of the Low Country. A few 
  individuals, however, stand out as leaders and persons to be 
  reckoned with, especially in these troubled times.
  Warden Athalia Underburrow
  As soon as word of the orc rebellion in Caecras reached 
  Low Country, the Ruling Council quickly convened to 
  consider the new political reality. Their ﬁ rst act was to elect 
  Athalia Underburrow, High Sheriﬀ  of the West Riding, 
  as Warden for all external aﬀ airs. Athalia has had a long 
  history patrolling the western borders and keeping the 
  aristocrats of Grand Duchy in their proper place. She is a 
  ﬁ erce advocate for maintaining the status quo and believes 
  alignment with the Alabaster Throne is necessary for Low 
  Country’s continued survival. 
   Athalia is an experienced veteran, but still in her prime 
  at 48 years old. She has a reputation as a tough customer 
  in close combat, and as equally tough as a diplomat and 
  negotiator. Her term as High Sheriﬀ  ends in just two years, 
  though her reelection seems certain. Nevertheless, Athalia 
  feels obliged to split her time between managing the 
  country’s external aﬀ airs and maintaining her good standing 
  in the West Riding. Clever and discerning in her own right, 
  Athalia shows little tolerance for fools and charlatans.
  High Elder Krassius Gardner
  The oft-reelected High Elder of the South Riding, Krassius 
  ﬁ ts most people’s image of a typical halﬂ ing. At the age of 
  78, he’s gone pudgy in the belly and gray at the temples. 
  Hailing from a fold on the south shore of Heartless Lake, 
  he is very familiar and experienced with life on the frontier, 
  as well as with maintaining relations between halﬂ ings and 
  Queen Kayrodil’s court. In council, he often acts as a sober 
  and subtle counterweight to Athalia Underburrow’s blunt 
  and ﬁ erce nature. 
   Krassius agrees that Low Country must actively manage 
  its external aﬀ airs, lest someone else step in to dictate the 
  halﬂ ings’ fate for them. He is very concerned, however, 
  with how matters inside the borders are handled, especially 
  when dealing with the human nobles and the fey court. 
  Despite his opinions, he remains on good terms with 
  Athalia, and savvy observers suspect that Athalia’s current 
  eﬀ orts to attend to matters at home might be due to advice 
  quietly oﬀ ered by Krassius.
  
  6
   Krassius is widely regarded throughout Low Country as a 
  fatherly soul, kind and wise, but with a core of steely resolve 
  and a deep well of experience from which to draw. Nobody 
  with any sense would dare to pick a ﬁ ght with Krassius, or at 
  least not anyone without a very compelling reason.
  Baron Drucas Galeron
  Widely regarded as the wealthiest and most powerful 
  human landholder in Low Country, Baron Drucas Galeron 
  is the overlord for the walled town of Highsprings (see 
  the “Geography” section). Galeron’s demesne extends 
  for several miles beyond the town walls—the ﬁ rst Baron 
  Galeron, uncaring about his position in the imperial court, 
  was more than happy to settle down far away from the 
  imperial throne, and was given a sizeable land grant from 
  Emperor Eronymous. Galeron’s family has been in Low 
  Country since, longer than any halﬂ ing kinship.
   Galeron has taken pains, for the moment at least, to stand 
  in solidarity with Low Country’s halﬂ ing councilors, and 
  has even kept up his tax payments to Caecras. On the other 
  hand, Galeron is a vigorous man, only a few years past 
  thirty, with considerable wealth and power at his disposal—
  with the collapse of the Empire, he is now in an excellent 
  position to seize control of Low Country and make it his 
  own kingdom, should he wish. This possibility hasn’t 
  escaped the halﬂ ing council’s notice, but so far Galeron has 
  done nothing to indicate he has any intention of doing so. 
  Queen Kayrodil Leafwhite
  Rumored to be a faerie sorceress of great age and power, 
  Queen Kayrodil is seldom seen by any outside of her 
  court’s innermost circles. Legend holds that she lives in 
  a stronghold hidden deep in the dense forests around 
  Heartless Lake where few dare to venture. An ancient song 
  tells of a wandering bard who sought an audience with the 
  Queen. The song describes an opulent court hidden in a 
  cave under the forested slopes of a mountain east of the 
  lake (The Serpent’s Tongue; see the “Geography” section). 
  Guards met the bard outside the forest and ushered him, 
  blindfolded, to Queen Kayrodil’s presence.
   Most of Kayrodil’s subjects are elves, but her realm also 
  provides a home to a collection of changelings, assorted 
  faeries, and kinless halﬁ ngs. Some of her subjects are 
  refugees who ﬂ ed after Eronymous’s conquest of Caecras, 
  as well as the subsequent conquest of the lands that 
  would become the Grand Duchy. Elves and faeries being 
  immortal, some of the Queen’s subjects remember these 
  events ﬁ rsthand.
   Kayrodil’s inﬂ uence extends far beyond her halls to every 
  wild or semi-wild area in Low Country, and, reputedly, as 
  far as the Shield Mountains.
  
  7
   The Queen has kept her own council since the orc 
  rebellion, but rumor has it that her envoys have been 
  abroad, especially to the South Riding and to Highsprings. 
  Perhaps she is merely seeking to stay on top of the current 
  political situation—or pursuing some mysterious agenda.
  Daily Life
  Most citizens of Low Country, halﬂ ing and non-halﬂ ing 
  alike, rise early each day, eat a hearty breakfast, and 
  spend their mornings at work. There is an extended break 
  at midday for a meal, plus extra time for some kind of 
  communal activity. Depending on the time of year and 
  the needs of the day, this activity might include worship, 
  discussion of the latest news, entertainment, or a little extra 
  rest. Work resumes throughout the afternoon, usually 
  until dusk when everyone pauses for a brief meal. The 
  early evening is spent completing any light tasks that 
  remain from the day (anything from cleaning or mending, 
  to writing or simple craft work). Some form of homespun 
  entertainment ﬁ lls the remainder of the evening, usually 
  music or storytelling. An ample meal accompanies these 
  activities, with plenty of refreshment to follow.
   The pace of their days usually follows the sun, so that 
  summer working days last much longer than those in 
  winter. One day in seven, local conditions permitting, is 
  given over entirely to rest, relaxation, and worship.
  Economy
  Most economic activity in Low Country focuses on the 
  land. Agriculture and herding top the list throughout the 
  three ridings. The areas near the Lake of Sorrows and the 
  Central Lakes boast substantial ﬁ sheries. The higher hills 
  of the East Riding produce more cattle, wool, and dairy 
  than the rest of the country. The West Riding is mostly 
  grain country, while the South Riding produces lumber, 
  stone, and furs, most of which is traded within Low 
  Country instead of being exported.
   Outside the towns, the halﬂ ings have little use for coin, 
  relying instead on bartering between kinships. Travelers 
  moving through the countryside often experience diﬃ  culty 
  purchasing what they need and are often obliged to delay 
  their travels while they trade goods or services with the 
  locals.
  Law and Justice
  In towns and their environs, the local human lord 
  maintains a court for settling disputes. In most locales, 
  the ruler or a designated subordinate sits in judgment 
  whenever the need arises. In the larger, busier towns, rulers 
  appoint full-time magistrates. Capital punishments is 
  almost unheard of, and convicted criminals are generally 
  required to make some sort of restitution.
   Beyond the towns, the halﬂ ing kinships handle all 
  matters of justice. Any crime, even murder, is considered 
  an oﬀ ense against the victim’s kinship rather than against 
  the victim. The fold’s sheriﬀ  and elder usually hear cases 
  at midday or evening, when the day’s work is halted. In 
  especially grave matters, the local oﬃ  cers might bring in 
  the fold or riding oﬃ  cers to consult, who might then take 
  over the case or even convene a jury. As in the towns, any 
  justice dispensed is usually based upon restitution rather 
  than punishment.
  Defense and War
  Traditionally, defense of Low Country falls to the human 
  lords. In keeping with their oaths to the emperor, each lord 
  maintains a unit of soldiers to garrison their towns, along 
  with one or more knights. The original imperial land grants 
  to the halﬂ ing kinships oblige them to assist the lords 
  whenever they call for help.
   These days, the halﬂ ings have taken their own defense in 
  hand. Each fold now conducts military drills at least twice 
  a month. All the ridings have erected a network of signal 
  towers on the hilltops in order to communicate quickly in 
  any emergency. Border patrols, especially in the north and 
  west, have been stepped up. 
   The human lords have, in turn, taken to drilling their 
  troops and strengthening their defenses. For the moment, 
  they remain unsure whether they will eventually need to 
  take the ﬁ eld against invading orc warbands uncaring of 
  Low Country’s pledge of loyalty to the imperial throne—or 
  maybe even against the halﬂ ings, should the smallfolk 
  decide to declare their independence from the Empire. 
   Thus far, Athalia Underburrow and the Council have 
  made it clear that they regard the human lords as important 
  allies; however, they have also made it clear that Low 
  Country is halﬂ ing land, and that anyone, even old allies, 
  who challenges them for control will be treated as foes and 
  driven out or killed.
  Gods and Superstition
  Most of the people of Low Country have a casual view 
  toward religious tradition and practices. The Cult of the 
  New God hasn’t taken root except in some of the human 
  towns, with Highsprings as the center of the faith. The 
  faithful there have built a substantial temple as a center 
  for missionary work. Out in the countryside, many of the 
  most miserable kinless individuals have found solace and 
  material assistance from the New God’s missionaries.
   Beyond the towns, the Old Faith remains strong among 
  the halﬂ ing kinships. Most folds observe a number of 
  annual celebrations and holidays honoring the old gods. 
  In many locales, the halﬂ ings practice witchcraft, with the 
  most accomplished practitioners serving as fold oﬃ  cers.
  
  8
   In the wilder areas, especially near Queen Kayrodil’s 
  court and throughout South Riding, many halﬂ ing folds 
  maintain mysterious cults. Some of these cults conduct 
  wild bacchanals that sometimes become ecstatically 
  violent. These gatherings draw in the local fey, often 
  resulting in the production of at least a few fauns and, 
  sometimes, changelings when the faeries steal away a child. 
   The ﬁ shing village of Bolling Falls, located on the 
  western shore of the Lake of Dreams, has a sizeable cult 
  that ventures into the lake’s depths each month during the 
  dark of the moon. This cult is unusual in that it includes 
  many non-halﬂ ings, in keeping with the village’s mixed 
  population.
  Adventures in Low Country
  On the surface, Low Country seems like a pleasant, sleepy 
  land oozing with bucolic charm. The chaos in Caecras, 
  however, has thrown Low Country’s future in doubt, and 
  the region hides a few long-simmering resentments, both 
  large and small.
  • On some nights when Tarterus shines through 
  the clouds, ghostly ﬁ gures can be seen weaving 
  though a circle of weathered stones in a frenzied 
  dance. Though the dancers themselves make no 
  sounds, some folks as much as three leagues away 
  hear evocative music. Many of these poor souls 
  are driven utterly insane by dawn.
  • Bands of savage humanoids (beastmen or worse) 
  have made raids into territories that haven’t seen 
  violence in more than a century. No one knows 
  from whence the raiders come, or where they take 
  their spoils—everything from household goods 
  to slaves—when they withdraw. The sheriﬀ s have 
  pursued some of the raiders, only to see them kill 
  themselves to avoid being captured.
  • A town’s annual merchant’s fair becomes the site 
  of a series of violent robberies and grisly murders.
  • A trio of aristocrats from the Grand Duchy make 
  it known that they’ll pay a substantial reward 
  for the return of two fugitives, a young man and 
  young woman, who stand accused of a serious 
  crime. The couple is assumed to be in hiding 
  somewhere in the countryside.
  • All the residents in an isolated fold have 
  gone missing. They appear to have hurriedly 
  abandoned their work and homes and left with 
  nothing but the clothes on their backs.
  • A winding section of road has become the haunt 
  of a mysterious knight who rides forth at dusk 
  astride a ﬁ ery steed. The knight challenges all 
  passers-by and charges at them. A few survivors 
  have managed to outrun the knight, although 
  anyone suﬀ ering a wound from the knight’s lance 
  dies soon thereafter.
  • Someone has broken into a human lord’s hall 
  and looted the treasury. The thief left only a few 
  traces: pick marks on a couple of locks, a broken 
  saw blade, and the bodies of several guards, all 
  stabbed in the back.
  • An elderly looking prospector whose ancestry 
  is not entirely clear at ﬁ rst glance appears at a 
  fold or in a town with several bags of gold dust 
  and nuggets. After several rounds of drinks, this 
  individual lets it slip that the gold came from the 
  shores of Heartless Lake and the lower slopes of 
  the Serpent’s Tongue.
  • A fold has suﬀ ered an extended string of mishaps 
  and hard luck. Everything from stubbed toes to 
  broken bones, to beer gone sour and ﬂ our gone 
  moldy, and even a major ﬁ re. Everyone agrees 
  that the streak began abruptly when some cattle 
  wandered away from the settlement and the 
  herders who went to look for them came back 
  empty-handed.
  • Rumor has it that there will be an attack on the 
  Ruling Council elders the next time they meet. 
  The attackers aim to kill or capture the councilors.
  • The elders from two rival families search for 
  younger relatives who have gone missing. It is also 
  said that one of the youth’s friends has admitted 
  that the pair are making their way to someplace 
  where they hope to build a fortune together far 
  from any inﬂ uence from their kinships.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadow of the Demon Lord/Lands in Shadow/SotDL - Lands in Shadow - Low Country.pdf