Carniola & Styria, from Udine to Marburg

This cross-section of the southern Hapsburg lands just north of the Adriatic shows quite a lot of wealth and density of population, despite the spectacular irregularity of the geography. These are "gates" in geography. The journey from Trieste, just off the map, through Laibach (modern Ljubljana) and Marburg (modern Maribor), leads up to Venice; the route created untold wealth for the Hapsburgs, such that they continued to grip it so tightly for the next 264 years after my game takes place, until their ruthless grip on Serbia, to the south and east of this map, in an attempt to better secure THIS ROUTE, led to World War I.

The towns are full of Germany-speaking officials, soldiers, lawyers, clerks and noble families; the countryside is heavily Slovene-speaking through Carniola, southern Styria and the hill country. the west is of course Italian. Along the road are found sailors, brokers, carters, imperial agents, pilgrims bound for Rome. There's still tension between Austria and Italy over the Uskok war that was fought over the heavier boundary on the map's western side, in 1617. There is memory of sieges, requisitions, burned farms, quartered troops, informers, guides and families whose loyalty depends on who last paid them, protected them or ruined them.

Slovenia is deeply Catholic, transformed by the Counter-Reformation and Jesuit shock troops, to keep the area under control during the late 30 Years War, which ended just two years ago. The area is incredibly costly for Austria, who are heavily in debt making sure this part of their world does not fall to the Ottomans, who are just off the map to the east. A working military zone of forts, captaincies, guard posts, watchtowers, regulars and irregulars helps defend both sides — a balance my player characters are avidly hurrying toward, in order to attack a blockhouse on this same border, again to the east. 

So it really is a question of the DM inventing people to be met, who already have a grievance, that the players might advantage or thwart, depending on the side they want to be on. Of course, this part of the world is thick with subterranean lairs, monsters, very large dragons and all sorts of places that go down all the way to the underworld.

The last time I worked on this area, the part of the world to the east, was in February, 2024... more than two years ago. Not exactly progress. Still, the circles get bigger and bigger... hopefully, I can pass by here again before August 2028.