"Hold your counsel til after dinner; the full belly is
always the wiser."
- Grumman Proverb
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| Proper Name | The United Provinces of Jannerus |
| Ruler | His Most Honorable and Resolute Worthiness, Lord Protector the Central Realms, Speaker of the Hearthtown Council, Lord Uri Nirran, the Just |
| Estimated Population | 14,000,000 |
| Demographics | Grum 50%, Human 25%, Elven 10%, Saurian 5%, Ogre 4%, Dwarven 4%, Orc 1.5%, Baenite .5% |
| Adjectival/Demonym | Jannerish/Janneruns |
| Languages | Grumman 60%, Southern 15%, Northern 15%, Corven 5%, Drakkelin 5% |
| Capital City | Hearthtown (Population: 87,400) |
| National Colors | Green and blue |
| Year Founded | 954 |
| Currency | Mixed currencies plus trade and barter. |
| Natural Resources | Wheat, barley, hops, flax, corn, rice, potatoes, hay, sheep, chickens, cattle. |
| Manufactured Goods and Major Exports | A wide variety of foodstuffs, salted beef, mead, ale, textiles, wool products, linen and clothing. |
| Wealth | Average |
| Government Type | Provincial |
| Government Stability | Stable |
| Allies | Khenshire, Falkir Clans |
| Enemies | Coalition |
| Technology Level | Dark Ages |
| Primary Religion | Mireldokar |
| Other Religions | Imarus, Barrinor, Sarreth, Daramis, Farzak, Assytia |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Approximate Land Area | 1,230,000 square kilometers |
| Arable Land | 65% |
| Terrain | Grassland, Plains, Hills |
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The huge farmland nation of Jannerus is the largest grumman nation on Ithria. Blessed by the fertile soil, abundant rainfall and broad flatlands, this nation is able to support a population of 16 million grum. Despite the quaint and quiet nature of the grum, the sheer size of Jannerus makes it a force to be reckoned with. Jannerus is known for its extreme racial tolerance. Everyone, regardless of race or nationality, is welcome in Jannerus. All outside conflicts are considered null and void, especially in Hearthtown. All citizens and visitors are considered brothers.
Jannerus is mostly plains with a line of hills running along the southern stretches. Jannerus if heavily farmed and the large number of streams and minor rivers in the region make irrigation easy. As in the other grum nations, vegetation is plentiful, as is livestock, but there is few wild animals. Because of the regular winds that sweep across the plains, windmills are a common sight in Jannerus. Almost every town and village has at least one windmill/grainary. The huge open flat lands of this part of the continent are also frequently hit by thunderstorms, windstorms and tornadoes.
Jannerus has a great deal of livestock to protect: sheep, cattle, donkeys, horses, goats and such. In particular there are great herds of samassar cattle in Jannerus, a species noted for its tender beef. Luckily, Jannerus has fewer problems with wolves and monsters from the Sentinels than do the other two grumman nations. However, Jannerus is bordered by wetlands to the northwest (the Trackless Mire) and the southeast (the Stench Bog). Both of the swampy areas are home to foul denizens which occasionally will make a quick meal of a lost lamb or lame horse. The grumman lands grow a variety of good tobaccos and culinary herbs. The most well known of these are firestar pollen, kelfarian red leaf and rhen wheat.
Very old and stable. Mostly an agriculture outgrowth from the Khenshire region. The western agricultural portion of the Thullian Empire suffered greatly but survived the Great War and the Age of Chaos. Jannerus formed when a group of grum attempted to reclaim old fields and make it into a fertile agricultural area again.
Monthly meeting of all village elders is held in Hearthtown. Hearthtown itself is ruled by the Council Speaker. This elderly grum relies heavily on the ancient texts of grumman wisdom. He is aided by the council and various advisors. Each new Council Speaker is named by the Council upon the retirement or death of the former Speaker. Lord Nirran is a compassionate leader who clings to grum tradition fondly. He can often be found in the evenings strolling his fair city with a pipe in his mouth, a pair of Kalimuran-made spectacles perched on his nose and his dog walking beside him.
Laws are very lenient, but weapons are restricted. Armour is discouraged. Disputes and handled by appointed peace keepers. (Judges).
Jannerus does not maintain a regular standing army. However, Hearthtown and every town is capable of summoning a militia about 1/10th it's total size from the general population. These militias are generally poorly equipped and trained. Multiple militias can be combined into a rudimentary army, if needed. There are no established patrols that monitor the land, but each town patrols its own area.
Agriculture based. Food is the primary export and the foundation of the economy. Herbs and animal husbandry also support the economy greatly. Weapons, armour and raw mined materials such as metal and stone are imported.
Hearthtown is known for its frequent feasts and festivals. Taverns and drinking are common. Food is plentiful and cheap. A common practice throughout Jannerus and the other grumman lands is that of the communal culinary book. Each village or town will maintain a single book of the greatest recipes developed by its citizens. Each generation adds its finest dishes to the book while enjoying the dishes of ages past.
Jannerus does not have a great deal of magic. Most towns and villages have a hedge wizard or two, but few spellcasters of real talent and no great schools of wizardry.
There is an old grumman tradition of choosing a child's name based on an event of significance that occurs on the day of birth. Grumman children named in this fashion may be given odd names. This varies greatly with the event chosen. Hence, these grums have very personal names. Traditionally, the parents would choose the name of the child together. The traditional grum who follow this tradition consider the event and the chosen name to be a guiding force throughout life, especially in times of decision. It is often said that "a grum must be true to his name". This saying refers to this ancient grumman tradition. Because of this tradition, many grum names sound like nicknames to other races. There are thousands of such names, although some are used over and over.
Some examples of typical grum names based on the "day of birth event" tradition: Grumbler, Six Pipe, Rusty, Crack Jack, Brown Tom, Pepper, Treeburn, Piglet, Horseflesh, Trembler, Jinx, Flaxbin, Twofist, Jacksquire, Top Knot, Fivecoin, Sureshot, Halflask, Treefell, Greyduck, Rambler, Highwall, Threeblade, Jumper, Gadget, Threefoot, Redeye, Badger, Glassjaw, Sawtooth, Random, Cutter, Slingshot and Browncoat.
| Name | Population | Notes |
| Highwall | 28,800 | Highwall is named for the 40 foot stone curtain wall which surrounds the town. Highwall maintains a militia and defends the northern border of Jannerus from orc raids, bandit attacks and monsters wandering out of the Trackless Mire. |
| Agothin | 21,600 | Cultural center of Jannerus. |
| Barron's Wall | 17,800 | Named for the Pre-Sundering ruins that lie nearby. The origin of the name Barron is lost to history. |
| Golden Fields | 13,100 | Named for the extensive Rhen wheat fields which are tended by the townfolk. Golden Fields operates 7 large windmills. |
| Greenleaf | 9,600 | This quiet town sits next to a large deciduous forest. Mostly a town of woodsmen and lumberjacks. |
| Arbor Dale | 4,900 | Built on the banks of a river at the center of a heavily wooded valley. |
Abercrom, Adair, Ahn, Akers, Aristan, Benida, Bull Horn, Corfe Mullen, Crossroad, Dreadwood, Golden Fields, Graham, Grove, Hayn, Kyber's Inn, New Inn, Searle, Weatherford
Jannerus has a network of dirt roads that are level and well maintained. They form an almost complete spoked wheel with Hearthtown at the center. Dozens of minor trails and footpaths crisscross the nation connecting dozens of small farming villages. Travel through Jannerus is relatively safe and there are few bandits prowling the roads. For more information, see the Travel and Distance page.
| Typical Travel Time | |||||
| Route | Terrain/Road Conditions | Distance | Walking | Wagon/Cart | Horse |
| Hearthtown - Golden Fields | Dirt Road | 381 km | 17 days | 13 days | 7 days |
| Hearthtown - Agothin | Dirt Road | 408 km | 18 days | 13 days | 8 days |
| Hearthtown - Highwall | Dirt Road | 301 km | 13 days | 10 days | 6 days |
| Hearthtown - Greenleaf | Dirt Road | 431 km | 19 days | 14 days | 8 days |
| Hearthtown - Barron's Wall | Dirt Road | 367 km | 16 days | 12 days | 7 days |
| Hearthtown - Arbor Dale | Dirt Road | 320 km | 14 days | 11 days | 6 days |
| Golden Fields - Agothin | Dirt Road | 232 km | 10 days | 8 days | 5 days |
| Agothin - Highwall | Dirt Road | 366 km | 16 days | 12 days | 7 days |
| Highwall - Greenleaf | Dirt Road | 390 km | 17 days | 13 days | 8 days |
| Greenleaf - Barron's Wall | Dirt Road | 448 km | 19 days | 15 days | 9 days |
| Barron's Wall - Arbor Dale | Dirt Road | 204 km | 9 days | 7 days | 4 days |
| Agothin - Turley (Khenshire) | Dirt Road | 613 km | 26 days | 20 days | 12 days |
| Agothin - Marsh (Corvenia) | Dirt Road | 469 km | 20 days | 15 days | 9 days |
| Greenleaf - Ithell | Dirt Road | 700 km | 30 days | 23 days | 13 days |
| Barron's Wall - Hammit's Mill | Dirt Road | 542 km | 23 days | 18 days | 10 days |
| Arbor Dale - Ruins of Vessapol | Heavy Forest and swamp | 300 km | 15 days | 86 days | 14 days |
This website was last updated April 30, 2025. Copyright 1990-2025 David M. Roomes.
