Riker Province

Overview
The Riker Province is an ancient kingdom that was incorporated into the nation of Gastonia centuries ago. Though the citizens of this province are proud of their homes, few to none identify with the royal family, the Rikers, which once ruled it. Many of the villages and hamlets of this region are self supporting, and the main commerce comes from The Iron Road, the trade route between Sesset and Anhk-Mopork. Tons of iron ore and other goods travel this route in a constant back and forth stream which fuels Gastonian industry and satisfies the terms of the treaty that keeps Gastonian armies away from Sesset.

Major Landmarks
Gods Home Lake sits nearly in the middle of the province and provides an alternate route for the Iron Road trade. Many of the other lakes and forests of the area are named after the animal which once emblazoned the Riker family crest, the wolf. The province is bordered to the north and east by rugged hills, which channel most travel through a few select routes.

Major Settlements
Bluesteel City is a major border city through which all Iron Road trade travels on its way to and from Sesset. Caravans take a long trek through lowland planes to reach Marigold city, the other major stop on the Iron Road. Both settlements rapidly ballooned in size with the creation of the trade route, and have become major centers of population and industry in the province. Recently, an alternate route to the Iron Road has been established that stops at the town of Julian before traveling by water down the newly renamed Iron River. Bernadino is a major logging town that also makes use of the Iron River to ship its lumber to Marigold and the river through the Bile Blight Marsh to ship material to the Harkathan front.

Neighboring Provinces
Seraph Province is the next stop along the Iron Road, and so residents of the area can often be found in Marigold for one reason or another. Wells Province is one of the major agricultural providers of Gastonia, and Iron Road wealth gained in the Riker province often flows there. There is little interaction between the major centers of Riker and the Bailey Province, but any troops moving to the Harkathan front from northwestern Gastonia trode a well beaten path to get there.