Bute

Bute is one of the most colourful lands, formerly belonging to the Humans who many centuries ago left its areas after the great plague. There are plenties of hills, gullies, and meadows full of beautiful flowers here, which cut through the farmlands, and currently belong to the Halflings. In this charming land, the Halflings have built many settlements full of low and shapely buildings with miniature windows and long chimneys. Amidst their habitations, there are numerous gigantic trees growing, and some of them hide the soul of the forest. Those unique ones are called Trefloqs or just Treemen. Many of them have beautiful ornaments and runes, which are the sign of their status and age.

Bute is one of the very few lands, where a rare race of Trefloqs can be encountered so often. They arrive at the great Halflings’ festivities, which take place on the village squares, in their capital called Fuolioq. Although the whole Fuolioq is made of wood, it forms an unusual reason for the pride of Halflings, as nowhere else in the world are so many theatrical arenas and schools for acrobats. There are also many non-humans arriving in the capital to gain knowledge from the best circus artists, carnies, and fire eaters. Those who arrive here to seek knowledge about magic can, if they are worthy, get to know the Domain of Earth from those who explored it the best. The Trefloq Shamans know so many spells from this domain, that it is said that there are more forgotten spells than tree species.

Although the areas of Bute are generally very peaceful, they are not at liberty to troubles. Amidst bushy gullies one can run upon the Wild Goblins, the packs of wolves, or bizarre creatures called Kobolds which, though of the same size as Halflings, have hideous faces and deformed bodies. Many confuse them with the fallen Halflings called Mrokins, but these two races are not related in any way. The villages of Bute are quite well-guarded by a halfling militia and scouts’ patrols, which, clad in leather robes, can be met many times riding in carts pulled by a team of bears. They patrol the roads between the three biggest villages – Uluq called Beersley, Tuoliq called Breadbury, and Aoliq, which is called Middlecross.

On the areas of Bute, one may often meet Wood Elves, which stop by to supply their stores for further peregrination or exchange the goods with the Halfling merchants. Although both lands, of Wood Elves and Halflings, are very close to each other, they respect each other’s borders and rules prevailing on their areas.

Unfortunately, not all races are willing to obey what Halflings expect, which is why Bute has also darker places, where outlaws and bands of creatures and spectres mutated by magic are hiding. Few ventures into the Howling Hills or near the Morgoliq Cemetery, and places like Undead’s Grotto or Shady Grove arouse fear not only in Halflings.