The Council of the Three Seeds

"Three roots, one tree. Let our lands thrive together, or wither apart." – Inscription at the Gathering Rock, Rivershire

Background

By 2955 BGW, humanity had grown beyond its days of wandering. The families of Waterspur, Ashwood, and Sandmyer had each forged their own paths across the land, laying the foundations for what would become the great human kingdoms.

The Waterspurs flourished along the Giant Tears River, their mastery of farming and trade turning Goldencliff into the most prosperous settlement in Shatterbleak.

The Ashwoods, ever industrious and self-reliant, had begun shaping the dense northern wilderness into the stronghold of Greendale, where forests and iron fueled their rise.

The Sandmyers, natural sailors and traders, established Wildbay, a bustling port town that allowed them to dominate coastal trade and exploration.

Despite their successes, these growing powers faced a critical issue—division and rivalry threatened to fracture humanity’s fragile unity. Territorial disputes over farmland, forest resources, and trade routes created growing tensions between settlements. Small skirmishes had already begun over control of key river crossings, and some feared full-scale conflict was inevitable.

Realizing that unchecked competition would lead to ruin, the elders of the three great families called for a historic gathering. They would meet at Rivershire, a neutral ford along the Giant Tears River, to discuss the future of mankind.

The Gathering at Rivershire

For the first time in generations, representatives from every major human settlement arrived at Rivershire, bringing with them their concerns, grievances, and hopes.

The Waterspurs, led by Elder Tharen Waterspur, sought to ensure stable trade agreements and cooperation in agriculture.

The Ashwoods, led by Matron Alricia Ashwood, prioritized land rights and defensive preparations, wary of both external threats and unchecked expansion.

The Sandmyers, led by Captain Edrik Sandmyer, aimed to formalize naval trade laws and prevent territorial disputes over coastal access.

The council lasted for three weeks, during which tensions flared, tempers rose, and diplomacy was tested. The most heated debates revolved around land disputes, as each faction saw the growing need for expansion yet feared encroachment by others. Despite their differences, all present recognized that humanity could not afford civil war—not when elven enclaves, dwarven holds, and other unknown forces still roamed The Reach.

At last, after days of negotiation, a historic agreement was reached. This treaty, later called The Council of Three Seeds, laid the foundation for peaceful cooperation among the growing human realms.

The Terms of the Council of Three Seeds

The council’s final decree, inscribed upon the Gathering Rock at Rivershire, ensured four core principles:

1. Shared Land and Resources

• The Waterspurs, Ashwoods, and Sandmyers agreed to defined territorial boundaries while maintaining free access to trade and travel.
• Goldencliff would oversee the primary farmlands and grain storage, providing food to trade partners at fair rates.
• Greendale would control the timber and iron trade, supplying tools, weapons, and lumber in exchange for food and naval support.
• Wildbay would facilitate maritime trade, ensuring that inland settlements had access to imported goods and knowledge from distant lands.

2. Trade and Diplomacy Pact

• A shared market system was established, allowing each kingdom to barter resources fairly.
• Goldencliff’s granaries became neutral ground, ensuring no settlement would face famine alone.
• Safe trade routes were mapped, preventing unnecessary conflicts over roads and waterways.

3. Mutual Defense Agreement

• Recognizing that humanity’s survival depended not only on trade and resources but also on strength against external threats, the Council of Three Seeds established a mutual defense pact:
• Each kingdom would maintain its own military force, trained and equipped to defend its lands.
• In times of foreign invasion or catastrophic disaster, the three kingdoms pledged to send reinforcements, supplies, or strategic aid to one another.
• Border watchtowers were to be built along major trade routes, manned by a mix of soldiers from all three realms to ensure neutrality and prevent raids.
• Any war declared between human settlements would require mediation through the council before open conflict was permitted.

4. Establishment of a Central Currency

• To solidify economic unity, the council introduced a standardized currency, backed by the wealth and resources of the three realms:
• Shards (sh) – Copper-like metal fragments, used for common transactions.
• Veinstones (vs) – Silver-hued polished stones, valued at 10 shards.
• Suncoins (sc) – Gold pieces infused with light magic, valued at 10 veinstones.
• Mooncrests (mc) – Platinum tokens used for land and title exchanges, worth 10 suncoins​Properties & Procesess.
• The Gilded Coin Collective, an independent organization, was established to oversee currency regulation and production, ensuring fair trade across all human lands​Notable Organizations.

The Collapse of the council and a Shift of Power (2320 BGW)

Despite the success of the Council of Three Seeds, the growing human kingdoms faced new challenges. Greendale had fallen, but the Ashwoods, ever prepared, had already began construction on Hollow Lake, a city unlike any before it—built around a vast, deep inland lake that connected to the Shrieking Sea. Sheltered by towering mountains and protected by the sea, Hollow Lake became a sanctuary for the Ashwood lineage.

However, something changed within the ruling family. Subtle at first, yet undeniable, a shift in leadership and ideology transformed Hollow Lake into something different from its predecessor. As the decades passed, its leaders grew more secretive, its ambitions more calculated. Though nothing was openly declared, by 2320 BGW, the Council of Three Seeds was no more​.

The final meeting of the council was called, but Hollow Lake’s emissaries did not arrive. Their silence was all the answer the other two kingdoms needed. Goldencliff and Wildbay, once bound to their shared past, now stood as separate powers with their own ambitions.

The Aftermath – A Fractured Humanity

With the council broken, the era of united human expansion ended, replaced by centuries of: Rivalries between Goldencliff, Hollow Lake, and Wildbay, each seeking to outmaneuver the others. Wars for land and resources, as former allies turned competitors.

The weakening of shared defenses, leaving smaller human settlements vulnerable to external attacks. Despite its collapse, the Council of Three Seeds remains one of the most influential moments in human history. The Gathering Rock at Rivershire still stands, its inscription weathered but unbroken, a reminder of what was once possible:

“Three roots, one tree.”

A reminder of a time when humanity stood united, before ambition and fate pulled them apart.