Extant information on Molnar can be found in S7S, p. 78.
Molnar is a Barathi farming colony.
What Molnar Is Like
Floating in an oval sea (the Elliptic Ocean), the land of the small island of Molnar is shaped like a trapezoid, more or less.
The narrow side is the Lava Tongue Range, a line of long-extinct volcanoes, each individual peak now sporting a crater lake. Numerous waterfalls splash down the sides of their cones, to run along the foothills down into rivers to the Sang de Roche Plains, irrigating their lush soil. Eventually, all rivers lead to the Wider Shore and terminate in the ocean.
The greatest waterfall on Molnar is Ziegler Falls, which falls four thousand feet and becomes the Jahnef River. Near the top of the Falls is the Grand Mill: a huge water-wheel that drives the works of the largest flour-mill in the entire World.
Molnar is heavily given over to agriculture: wheat (good quality, but in no wise up to the quality of Colronan trigo; however, wheat is the primary crop here, outstripping all other produce), barley, oats, rye, millet, hemp, and rice. Grapes, berries, beans, and squash are also grown here in quantity. Ten square miles of land, a half-day's ride from Millersport, has been given over to the Imperial Wyld (an artificial forest).
A few of the greatest Noble Houses of Barathi maintain small properties here, be they villas, farms, ranches (horse and cattle), or vineyards. Other than the horses and cows, the animal life of Molnar includes rabbits, "qilin deer" (or in the native Molnari patois "giraffa"), several species of rodents, and feral cats.
Molnari History in Brief
For four hundred years, Molnar has been a Barathi colony. First discovered and claimed by House Ophidi, this valuable farmland was quickly seized by the Emperor of the time and made into an Imperial Colony. (House Ophidi was, as history shows, well-recompensed.)
Over time, a tradition grew up that those dependents (and hidden Scions) of fallen Houses, convicts, political exiles, general malcontents, romantic radicals, and other such undesirables were sent to Molnar to start a new life. This, they generally did.
And, frankly, nothing much has ever happened on Molnar, despite all this. It is simple, rural, given to farm-life. Sure, sure — Barathi politics has overflowed onto the colony, but the native Molnari have almost always been unwitting pawns in these machinations… never the initiators.
How Molnar Is Ruled
An Imperial Governor rules Molnar, supported by the Grange Council (a council of the largest landowners or their representatives). The Governor is charged with making sure that the Grand Mill is well-maintained and well-run, that produce shipments are sent to Barathi regularly, keeping the peace (especially in Millersport), and improvement of the Imperial Wyld. The Governor is expected to use his or her own House Scions and dependents to manage these requirements.
Otherwise, landowners rule over their tenant farmers with an iron fist (though usually in a velvet glove).
What the Molnari Are Like
The Molnari seem to strike a happy medium between the natures of the Barathi and the Colronans (both Royalists and Zultanistas). They are not particularly focused on Revenge, Romance, or Honor… though all of those strains do arise in the populace. Ultimately they are seen as "salt of the earth" types. Even dull, or boring.
And they don't care. Raising a bumper crop, having a stable family, hard work, good friends, a little festivity along the way, and the average Molnari is happy as a mouse in a granary.
One thing that helps break up the monotony of this status quo cycle of sow-weed-harvest-celebrate is the League of Lost Penstari. The League is an overarching confederation of smaller fraternities, all associated with a fallen Barathi Noble House. Any individual that can claim an association with a fallen House (however tenuous, like "My grandmother was a scullery girl in House Mellis") can join its sodality (for example, "the Sodality of Mellis"). Sodalities do charitable works for their members and compete against other soldalities in various ways (sports and other competitions, mostly).
Molnar & the Church
For Barathi, the Molnari are fairly devout (nothing compared to even the Colronan Royalists, though).
The Church does not worry about the Molnari: they are a solid, honorable-enough people.
Molnar & the Mystical
The people of Molnar have many Gifted, but few koldun. Most of the skilled alchemists on the island are to be found in Millersport, though each village usually has an adequate Herbalist or Wise Person.
Travelers' Comments on Molnar
Nice folks. Not all that exciting… but that's good!
— Sir Alexandre Hopitini
Hell must be like living on Molnar for any length of time.
— Garrick Farnsworthy
