Nestled in the heart of the southwestern Core, Invidia (in-VID-i-a) is a land where passions are easily inflamed and daggers are drawn with little provocation. Cut by the murky waters of the Gundar and Musarde Rivers, the land stretches out largely unspoiled, broken only by the occasional farm or vineyard peeking through the thick, old growth forests. Massive trees soar above an open floor of soft, green grasses and spongy mosses. The oaks, redwoods, and maples burst into fiery colors in autumn, unrivaled in their beauty anywhere in The Core. Noisy flocks of crows and swallows soar over the lush landscape, darting back and forth in the warm breezes. The bulk of the domain's population is concentrated in the bustling river villages, and even rural folk tend to live within an hour's ride of a settlement. Journeys through the wilderness are lonesome; travelers only rarely spy lone carts burdened with hay or casks of wine. Their only companions in the wilds are lean packs of wolves, which keep menacing pace with travelers for hours at a time.

Invidia's buildings are tall with steeply gabled roofs tiled in black wooden shingles. Although plastered and pained a creamy dun color, most Invidian structures have crumbling facades that expose the red brick underneath. Interiors are wooden, the staircases and rafters darkly stained and intricately carved with grapevine designs. Baroque towers, topped with charcoal-gray cupolas and grim statuary, towers above the grandest buildings. Invidia's climate is temperate, although the realm boasts long, pleasant summers.

Major Settlements

Curriculo (pop, 1,000), Karina (pop. 2,300)

People

The Folk: Humans (99%), Other (1%)

Languages: Balok*, Mordentish, Falkovnian, Luktar, Vaasi

Religions: Ezra, Hala

Unlike many domains, Invidia doesn't have its own distinct ethnic group. Most Invidians are of mixed heritage, with Barovian and Kartakan blood running strongest. As such, few generalizations can be made about their physical appearance. Invidians range from swarthy and stocky to fair and lean, but they do tend to have the best features of their ancestors. Invidian clothing is simple but aesthetically pleasing. Men wear tunics, breeches, and high boots. Women dress in loose-fitting shirts and layered skirts. Bits of sparkling jewelry are commonly worn by both genders, with tasteful, solitary earrings or rings predominating.

Invidians are infamous for their passionate personalities; it is not, however, a compliment to say that someone has an "Invidian heart". Invidians are hot-tempered and tempestuous, frequently allowing their passions to get the better of them. Marital infidelity is common, as are the grudges and spilt blood that inevitably follow. Bitterness is nursed for years over small (or even imagined) slights, and it's not unknown for violence to erupt even within families when tempers flare.

These stereotypical traits aside, the Invidians are solid enough people. They're hard workers who nonetheless like to enjoy the fruits of their labors and have little respect for either the stuffy or the lazy. The populace is generally divisible into a loose class system, although the delineation isn't as sharp as in other lands. The rich still look down on the poor, but the nobility tends to be weak and ineffectual. Accordingly, the domain hosts a strong merchant middle class. Most Invidians hold a deep loathing for the Vistani. Although this might be overcompensation in light of Malocchio's anti-Vistani policies, their hatred is no less chilling.

The Law

Invidia is a group of formerly independent villages shifting to a despotism. The vicious tyrant Malocchio Aderre has ruthlessly been increasing his hold on Invidia for nearly a decade. Prior to Malocchio's ascent to power, Invidia had experienced a period of isolation and weak self-governance at the local level. This state of affairs had persisted since a local witch rumored to be of Vistani blood assassinated the previous despot, Bakholis. A cruel lord, Bakholis seemed more interested in protecting his hunting rights than in governing. Although Malocchio is perhaps even more brutal than his predecessor, he has taken a much more aggressive approach to managing his realm. He encourages trade between the domain's villages and generally pursues a more unified vision for Invidia. Although Invidia itself can't raise much of an army, Malocchio has hired mercenaries from across The Core to serve his expansionist agenda. Furthermore, the mercenary-king of Falkovnia, Vlad Drakov, has lent Invidia his own troops, though his motives for such an uncharacteristic show of good faith are unknown.

Malocchio's greatest obsession is his burning hatred for the Vistani. The gypsies are, to say the least, not welcome in his realm; all Invidian mercenaries have standing orders to kill Vistani on sight. Besides this unseemly duty, Malocchio's soldiers collect taxes, protect Invidian merchants, and generally enforce a militant order in the realm. Invidians are fearful of these brutal soldiers but have learned to follow their orders unhesitatingly and avoid them whenever possible. Although brigand activity has been successfully suppressed by the mercenary presence, attacks from solitary madmen - such as Karina's infamous Midnight Slasher - seem to be on the rise.

Trade and Diplomacy

Resources: Barley, rye, hops, wheat, oats, potastoes, cabbage, grapes, hogs, wine, beer, sulfur, salt.

Coinage: Drymark (gp), sweetpiece (sp), bitterbit (cp).

As can be expected, the activities of Invidia's new ruler have agitated the surrounding domains. Alarmingly, Malocchio has recently begun to order his troops over Invidia's border to literally hunt Vistani in other lands. This strategy has particularly enraged Ivan Dilisnya, commander of Borca's military, who has sworn armed retaliation if his troops catch Invidian mercenaries on Borcan soil. Malocchio is also risking conflict with Barovia, where Vistani are rumored to be under special protection from Count Strahd von Zarovich. Not all realms are hostile to Invidia, however. As noted, Falkovnia's king seems to support Malocchio's ambitions for his own reasons; whether this grows into an alliance remains to be seen. A brisk trade across the Invidia-Barovia border has always existed, and as long as outright war doesn't break out, merchants will likely continue to trade with the Gundarakites in Barovia's western foothills.

Magic

Magic isn't particularly common in Invidia but the passionate nature of its people makes sorcerers more common than any other tradition.

Characters

Invidian heroes are usually bards, fighters, rogues, or sorcerers.

Invidian characters begin play with proficiency with firearms and black powder weapons.