Southland: Prospectors, Settlers, and the Rest

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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Southland Index

Colony Index

Prospectors, Settlers, and the Rest

There was little motivation for Commonwealth citizens to make a long voyage to a dangerous place like the Southland.  Even the promise of free land if you’ll work it and free passage, was not enough of an incentive.  A reason would be forthcoming.  Shortly after the founding of the Sydney, gold was discovered outside of the settlement.  This brought a sudden wave of prospectors.  As the Summerhill strike became played out, there was another discovery made in Melbourne.  Then diamonds and Philosopher’s Stone were found in the north around Darwin.  Then more Philosopher’s Stone outside of Adelaide in the south.  Then the huge Kalgoorlie gold mine was discovered in the west.

It’s been one boom after another.  The main result was a large number of prospectors who never struck it rich and became stranded in the Southland because they couldn’t afford passage back to the homeland.  They had to make a go of it as settlers.  With increasing population and, except for the Cairns settlement massacre, the colony seemed somewhat safe, the actual settlers began arriving.  

Much of the land in the Southland is marginal at best, but that’s good enough for ranching.  Local wildlife is a problem rather than an asset, so livestock has had to be brought over from the homeland.  The best farmland was claimed quickly, forcing expansion into Humanoid dominated lands.  Many retired soldiers would also choose to stay, many simply not wanting to make the long sea voyage back or having nothing to go back to after years of service.   

Along with the prospectors and settlers have come a multitude of Con Men.  Most are on the run from crimes in the homeland and see nothing but opportunity in the Southland, rather than a chance to reform.  Commonwealth officials have actually been quite pleased to see these individuals go into what amounts to voluntary self-exile.  Also mixed in are small groups of political radicals and religious extremists.  These groups tend to be either far too outgoing or way too xenophobic.

Lastly, have come the Adventurers.  With some infrastructure built up to support their vagabond lifestyle, they’ve arrived in the Southland seeking the treasures of the Ancients for looting.  Not just the reported massive wealth, but also magical artifacts and weapons.  Scholars and wizards are eagerly seeking Ancient knowledge, magical and mundane.  All of them are dreaming of being ones to find Circumsphere and become famous on top of rich. 

Most “sell out,” and end up employed as mercenaries in the various hot spots around the continent, or as library or research scholars for the academic types.  Those who remain “true” to the quest of adventuring, often find themselves collecting bounties from killing Humanoids and even the dangerous native animals (by collecting their right ears and presenting them to local officials) to scrape together a pathetic hand-to-mouth existence.