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Deities | Nations and Regions | History and Legends | Famous NPCs
Copyright © 1981-2004 Chris Gonnerman Index
Alambar was founded in 214 TH when Baron Tholan Hart, a Thanamoran warlord and wizard who had been granted territory on the eastern coast, conquered his two nearest neighbors. He declared himself Prince of Alambar and set about solidifying his holdings and building his army. Tholan required all commoners in the conquered baronies to vow allegiance to him, but all who did so were treated as full citizens. His taxation was relatively light, and he successfully controlled the roads so that highwaymen and monsters were little threat; thus his lands prospered. Tholan's son Vothan continued his father's reign of conquest, expanding his control over the course of a forty-year campaign until he reached the Khaldane Forest. He established the capitol as Phebon (now East Phebon) and ordered the construction of the first palace. Vothan's son Radric took troops through the mountains to the west, and though his early campaigns were a disaster he eventually prevailed. It was Radric's son Pactus who declared himself King rather than Prince, and it was Pactus who ordered the construction of the second palace at West Phebon. Over the subsequent years Alambar grew both in population and in prosperity. As so often happens, the rulers of Alambar grew soft, and taxes increased, but such happened slowly. The Cataclysm hit the western half of Alambar badly, destroying the palace and killing King Harold IV, his Queen Melia, and most of his family. Only Harold's fourth of five sons, Markus, was left to inherit the throne. Many of those who survived felt he was too young to hold the kingdom together, but he proved to be a capable young man. Under his reign, the western palace was rebuilt, using the eastern palace as a model; and Markus eventually commissioned the building of a mystic gateway between the palaces, making administration of the large nation much more efficient. The western half of Alambar was conquered by the Argossean Empire in 12 AR. Imperial forces knew of the gateway in the palace, and sought to control it early in their assault, but King Conner II fled through it with his family and retainers and ordered it destroyed. The destruction of the gateway had been planned from the day it was built, and was easily done. King Conner II ruled a smaller Alambar from the eastern palace, as his army struggled to hold the mountain passes against the Empire. Eventually Thassius Phi became tired of the waste of troops, and a "cold war" followed from then until the fall of the Empire. After the combined armies of the Resistance reconquered western Alambar, King Conner V ordered the construction of new mystic gateways. The new gateways were so designed that they could be rearranged from time to time; given the similar floorplans and interior decoration of the two palaces, this made navigation through the combined palaces very complex and difficult. The two palaces are now collectively called the Puzzle Palace of Alambar. Only someone who lives in the Puzzle Palace has any chance of easily navigating it.
The Deveron Isles are a small chain of islands in the Argus Sea. The islands had a bad reputation, with many strange and conflicting stories told about them. In 877 AR, Malin Tarseus led his band of adventurers to the islands, and he claimed a castle left there by an ancient sorceror. Within two years, Baron Tarseus (as he was then called) had secured the entire chain with the help of his partners, and been recognized officially by the King of Montau. But in the course of Malin Tarseus' career he had become aware of the existence of a powerful sorceror, Coldarius. Coldarius was by far the most powerful master of magic in the world, and he intended to stay that way, by killing any mage who got close to his level of power. Tarseus avoided this fate largely by remaining under the protection of wards against scrying. He also married Coldarius' daughter Diana. Eventually a carefully prepared team of adventurers, backed by Baron Tarseus, slipped into Coldarius' fortress in Roslane and attempted to assassinate him. Things went awry when Coldarius, cornered, used a teleportation spell to escape. He panicked, teleporting himself to the last place he had "carefully studied..." the area directly outside the door to Malin Tarseus' (warded) bedroom. Tarseus opened the door, found his wounded but obviously still dangerous father-in-law lying there, and slew him with a spell before he could stand up. See also: Battle of the Deveron Isles.
The Fillimarn Republic was originally called the Kingdom of Fillimar. The date of the kingdom's founding is unknown, but is widely believed to have been around 300 TH. The Fillimarn was made a subject-state of the Thanamoran Empire around 450TH, and successfully gained autonomy around 600 TH, remaining free until the time Thassius Phi founded the Argossean Empire. The Empire was founded, it is said, upon the stepping stone of Fillimar, for that nation was the first to be attacked. To secure his control, Thassius Phi ordered the massacre of all royalty and any powerful nobles who could be identified. Fillimar, attacked first, had no time to prepare escape plans, so the King and all of his line were indeed slain. Fillimar became a hotbed of resistance in later years, such that over thirty thousand were added to Crom Larad's liberation army when it passed through. When the war was over, the resistance leaders fell to quarreling as to who should become the new King of Fillimar. One among the resistance leaders, Rovar Kelber, had shown himself to be a great general; he felt that, if he wanted, he could make himself King. His contingent of the Fillimarn Army was the largest, after all, and he was well respected by all the other resistance leaders. In council with them at Quindoth he said, "We need no more of dictators in this land, and I would not support one even if he were me." His impassioned arguments led most of the other leaders to agree with him, and they further agreed to form a Republic based loosely on the Shellan model. Kelber did serve in that government, becoming First Minister in 188 AR and serving for a single term of 5 years.
Roslane was founded in 771 TH (early in the Second Age) by Rossus Hargolin, the son of a barbarian chieftain. He formed an army of men, orcs, and hobgoblins and subjugated the other barbarian clans of the region. He declared the port village of Danlan his capitol; that village quickly grew into one of the largest cities in the Argossean region. The long martial history of Roslane can be seen even on the map. The Argossean word zan, means "fort," and most of the border towns of Roslane have zan in their names. The most significant, Zanzan, means literally "fortress of fortresses." Zanzan is a massive fortress built on a bluff overlooking the nearby river. There are three walls: a common city wall surrounding the land approaches at the lower part of the hill, a massive fortress wall (called the "new" wall) and an inner wall surrounding the keep proper. The Flaming Crown In 862 TH, as part of a tribute package from the nation of Glantra to Roslane (in return for Roslane not conquering Glantra), the Glantrans gave a magical crown to King Rossus V. This crown, when worn by a direct descendant of Rossus the Fifth, displays illusionary flames atop it, and grants the wearer the ability to cast Charm Person once per day, as an act of will (no command words). The Crown has been lost since the Argossean Rebellion.
Civilization began in Glantra in 311 TH when Ristan Argoson, descendent of the famous explorer Argo, founded a trading settlement called "Ristanton" on the site of the current capitol Corillica. He traded with the local inhabitants, both human and humanoid, and his settlement grew rapidly. Choosing to trade with the humanoids is probably what saved his trading post from the usual fate of destruction at their hands. Ristan became known as "Lord Ristan" against his wishes, and his son Muldri proclaimed himself "Baron" after his father's death. Muldri had greater aspirations than his father, and he built up an army of humans to clear and settle the surrounding lands. It was an uphill battle to be sure, but Muldri was as shrewd and sensible as his father before him, and in time he was successful. He called his nation "Argossia" after his famous but distant ancestor. By the time of Muldri's death, his territory stretched to the site of modern Callidaro to the southeast, and halfway to the current city of Shemeda (in Lamdia), and inland from Corillica as far as the modern town of Maegenhelm. Muldri had promoted himself to "Prince" at some point; his son Cordis naturally assumed that title upon his father's death. Under Prince Cordis, Argossia flourished. The coastal territory was extended as far as Shemeda to the east, and to the site of Cabelak (in modern Roslane). In fact, Cabelak was founded as a border fortress for Argossia. Prince Cordis saw that the most important expansion should be inland, so he offered land grants to adventurers who wished to settle in the inland forest area, clearing the monsters in the process. The history of Argossia becomes rather pedestrian at this point, up until the Cataclysm. The forested areas of Argossia (including territory now part of Roslane and Lamdia) was racked by numerous fires, and many settlements were destroyed. The long-suppressed humanoids, in particular the orcs, recovered more quickly than the humans, and quickly began the first Orc War. The Orc Wars were devastating to the human population of many nations, but mostly to the inhabitants of Argossia. It was under the guidance of a human warlord named Ardoth Glantra that the orcs were held back at the Battle of Maegenhelm in 802 TH, and he carved out a domain for himself consisting of the region including Maegenhelm, Corillica, and Callidaro. His grateful people proclaimed him King Ardoth, and the land became known as Glantra. King Ardoth believed that the Cataclysm was caused by mages experimenting with knowledge "not meant for mortals." He outlawed the use of other than clerical magic in Glantra, and anyone convicted of "magery" was subject to death by burning. Glantra expanded over the course of the Second Age, establishing its current boundaries in 1112 TH (though much of the regrown forestland remained unsettled). The new nations of Lamdia and Roslane served to check the growth of Glantra. Corillica became a major trading center for the Argus Sea area, and Glantra grew in power and wealth. However, sentiment grew against the old prohibition against magery, as neighboring nations with no such restrictions could be seen to have many advantages. King Oskion made matters worse in 1231 TH when he proclaimed a new law, allowing convicted mages to pay heavy fines and be deported rather than burned at the stake. While this would seem a mercy, it led to the formation of the Glantran Inquisition. The Inquisition was famously corrupt, accepting bribes paid to the Inquisitors in lieu of the higher fines, and using torture and other forms of terror to increase their power. At the height of that power they were a threat even to the King. In 1257 TH the Inquisition raided a merchant ship in Callidaro, having received a tip that a mage was aboard. The young mage, son of the Lord Mayor of Valras in Roslane, was returning home on vacation from his apprenticeship in Montau. He had been warned to remain aboard by the Captain of the ship, and complied, but someone aboard sold him out. The King of Roslane declared the arrest illegal and ordered the young mage's father not to pay the fine, calling it a "ransom." In response, the Lord High Inquisitor of Glantra held an obviously rigged trial and found the mage guilty, sentencing him to burn at the stake. As is usual when a thing is illegal, there was in Glantra a black market for magery, and those mages who secretly operated in that land decided they had suffered enough. In a stunning midnight coup, they slew the King, his family, and all the Inquisitors they could find including the Lord High Inquisitor himself. Having removed the official government, naturally the mages made themselves the new government. The new Glantra was a land of liberality, at least so far as magic use was concerned. The Council of Mages (as they named themselves) allowed the regional governors, city leaders, and their vassals to continue ruling as they always had, and they preserved the laws and the bureaucracy much as they had been before (save for those laws which had outlawed magic use). Citizenship requirements were eased dramatically for those mages who first joined a local Glantran mage's guild, and the Council arranged to replace their own numbers by an appointment process. The young mage was released immediately, of course, and sent home directly by magic. He always remembered how the Council of Mages had rescued him, and he also remembered how the King of Roslane prevented his father from paying his fine. That young mage was named Thassius Phi. His effect on the history of Glain is well documented, as in 1272 TH he overthrew the King of Roslane and created the Argossean Empire.
Alaxtar was founded as a nation in 791 TH, not long after the Cataclysm. Varnus Larad, a warlord of Kel, led what remained of his loyal troops into the northern forest named Alaxtar. Joined by Cataclysm refugees from other lands, they created a nation. The Larad family has ruled Alaxtar in an unbroken succession since then. Alaxtar is founded upon an ancient tradition of honor, and though the nation's history is not without blemish, there are few places where honor and loyalty are held in higher esteem.
Ascari was founded by Scari Rislo and his Rusk raiders from the Savage Coast. The details of the Rusk War may be found in the page for Shellas. The Rusk invaders treated the Shellan natives as slaves, outlawing their language and culture and granting them few if any rights under Ascari law. As part of the Treaty of 851 TH, the Rusk agreed to make the Shellan inhabitants free and to grant them the same rights as other subjects. Eventually the Rusk and Shellan inhabitants intermarried, and the old wounds began to fade. However, even now there are those among the descendents of the Shellans who plot revenge against the King (whose Rusk heritage is pure, as is that of most of his Princes).
Intersia is a nation with a long and troubled history. In ancient times, Intersia was invaded several times, until at last an alliance of bandit chieftains declared themselves princes and took over what remained of the government. Within a few years, the most powerful bandit chief, Tahmed Gargus, declared himself King. There followed more than two thousand years of strife and troubles as each new King did battle with his own relatives and so-called friends to hang on to power. The connection between the Intersian Royal Court and the various bandit princes has always been strong. It is truly a land where might, and not right, rules. Recent History In 979 AR, King Sarod died without heir under suspicious circumstances. General Rolf Risolov fought off all contenders and was crowned King of Intersia less than a week afterward. King Rolf was not of royal or noble blood, so to help make his reign seem more legitimate he married a lovely noble girl named Giselle who was a distant cousin to the former King. Queen Giselle was an ambitious woman, but she found her new husband frustratingly difficult to influence and impossible to control. Their first child, Prince Rolf II, was born just less than a year after the wedding, and in fact on the first anniversary of Rolf's coronation. Their second, Princess Dulcetta, was born two years later. In 985 AR, King Rolf died while hunting in the northern mountains, slain by a white dragon. Several of his companions were slain as well; in fact, only the falconer, Sir Brotan, returned, badly injured but alive. Queen Giselle was not allowed by tradition to rule in his place, and was not powerful enough to ignore tradition as her husband had. She was, however, powerful enough to arrange to rule in place of her son until his twenty-first birthday, taking the title of "Queen Regent." Though she never married, she was often seen in the company of the Royal Falconer, Sir Brotan. Sadly, at the age of six young Prince Rolf wandered into the dungeons beneath Castle Nolan, followed by his sister. She witnessed his death by green slime, and ran screaming from the dungeon into her mother's arms. Queen Regent Giselle then ruled in her daughter's place, until her sudden death in 996 AR from poison in her wine. Sir Brotan was implicated as the assassin, and despite irregularities in the case he was found guilty by the Court of Royal Knights and executed. Dulcetta, then just fourteen, would not be allowed to ascend to the throne as Queen until her twenty-first birthday (in 1003 AR), but with the assistance of several higher-ranking noblemen she was allowed to rule as Crown Princess. Chief among her supporters was Duke Hailan, a widower who many suspected of being the Princess' lover. It is suspected by many that he intended to become her official Consort, so that his children might rule Intersia. This was not to be. In 999 AR, Duke Hailan was slain in an accident, when the East Arch of the inner bailey of Castle Nolan collapsed suddenly. The High Priest of Prolethra was unavailable at that time, having been recalled to the Cathedral in Enterone, and no-one else could save him from his horrible injuries. By that time, Crown Princess Dulcetta had secured her position adequately so that his loss did not lead to her downfall. She now rules Intersia alone.
This small elven kingdom on the isle of Shellas is perhaps a bit more open and friendly than the elven kingdom of Olvenil; for the Red Elves of Lefyndir are few in number and must depend, to some extent, on the goodwill of the Shellans. Despite this, little is known by men of the history of Lefyndir. Such personal questions are met with closed but smiling mouths.
Shellas is the name of both the island and of the nation occupying the western end thereof. In the middle of the First Age, the nomadic ancient Shellans began to settle in villages, which would eventually grow into great cities. The fiercely independent Shellans governed their city-states by a form of democracy. All landowners, who were mostly male, were permitted one vote each in a full Assembly. As the cities grew in size and complexity, the Assemblies became longer and more frequent, as well as more crowded. It became necessary to issue tokens to each qualified landowner so that they could be identified at the Assembly hall. The landowning citizens became unhappy with the long Assemblies, and it was decided that proxies could be hired to cast votes on behalf of the landowners. Each landowner paid a small fee to the proxy of his choice (who was required to be a landowner) and handed over his token. This system developed near the end of the First Age. After the Cataclysm, Rusk warriors from the Savage Coast began raiding the outlying coastal villages. With confidence gained from these attacks, they moved on to the cities themselves, making cunning raids at night. The most successful of the raider captains, Scari Rislo, saw that the Shellans were weak. He rallied the other raiders around him with a new plan... they would take over the Shellan city-states. The most successful of the hundreds of raider captains would be made Princes, and Scari would be King. The early parts of the Rusk offensive was wildly successful; the Shellan military was disorganized and ineffective, and the raiders won easily. The city-states of western Shellas responded by forming a Great Assembly, consisting of three elected citizens from each remaining city. The Great Assembly was granted control of the combined military forces of Shellas, and they in turn selected Terval of Millenae as General of those forces. Terval's first act was to approach the leaders of the Red Elves of Lefyndir for their assistance. Though relations between the elves and the Shellans had been strained from time to time, the approaching Rusk armies served as incentive for a combined force. The Rusk were overextended by then, with half of their forces tied up occupying the cities already conquered. General Terval moved his newly reorganized and expanded armies quickly into conflict and brought the Rusk advance to a halt. The Rusk War continued for most of a hundred years, until at last the King of eastern Shellas, now called Ascari, met with the Premier of the Great Assembly to sign the Treaty of 851 TH. The Treaty set the border between Shellas and Ascari where it is even today. Selrael Selrael is the capitol of the modern nation of Shellas, as it hosts the Great Hall where the Great Assembly meets. Selrael is often called the "City of Marble" because of the many buildings built or decorated thusly. Some of the largest and finest marble quarries in all of Glain are found in Shellas, including the white, green, and red varieties; the marble used in the construction of Selrael is largely the white variety. The presence of large amounts of relatively cheap marble has also cause Selrael to become a popular residence for sculptors. The Artist's Quarter, as it's called, is adorned with numerous statues (for sale, of course) and the city has commissioned some of the finest of these scultors to create works to be displayed in public areas elsewhere in the city. The Great Hall is decorated with gargoyles (the stone variety, not the monster type) around the roof, and a pair of sculpted griffons "guard" the front entrance. Torenale The city of Torenale in southern Shellas is best known for its great Library. The Library of Torenale, owned by the Order of En-Teare, is said to contain of one hundred thousand books and scrolls. Access to the Library is free of charge to clerics of the Order of En-Teare, as well as to those of the Orders of Prolethra and Aturahs. All others must pay monthly dues of 50 gp each for access. Millenae Millenae is best known in other parts of Glain as the home of the Shellan Wolfhound, a popular breed of hunting dog. The inhabitants of Millenae are often irritated that this is the only thing they are recognized for.
The Independent Cities include Zharaute (ZHA-roat), Grekon, Harkin, and Pelanthia. These cities are arrayed along the north side of the Bay of Winds. They have been independent for almost all of their recorded histories, and are historically havens for lawless people of all types. Zharaute is said to be the oldest, founded early in the Second Age more than a thousand years ago. They may be the oldest continuously inhabited locations in the Argossean region. Each city has its own ruler, titled Duke. While each city is surrounded by farming and fishing villages of all sorts, the Dukes don't technically control them. (However, no village would dare go against the wishes of the nearest Duke.) These cities remain independent because of many factors. First, the Dukes, in their own self-interest, allow adventurers to establish fortresses on the shores of the Bay if the adventurer signs a treaty of mutual assistance. Second, the cities maintain strong standing armies. Third, Tishen, the nation to the south, has pledged to assist the Independent Cities if they are attacked. (In fact, Tishen has done so in the past.) Of course, Tishen would rather have weak, disorganized city-states on their border than to have one strong nation there.
This dark forest on the eastern coast of Glain is said to be home to many fell creatures. Few if any men make their home beneath the shadows of the ancient trees of the Khaldane.
The nation of Montau was founded in 1169 TH when Duke Ostelus of Ovarin Dar (one of the Independent Cities) declared himself King. Previously, Ovarin Dar had been coequal with the other four Independent Cities, but the large area of fertile (but wild) territory around Ovarin Dar caused the city to grow both in power and wealth. The outlying communities petitioned for protection, and the Duke used that opportunity to increase his personal power. Imperial Era Ostelus III was King of Montau when the Argossean armies arrived in 1283 TH (11 AR). The approaching armies were known of far in advance, and King Ostelus sent diplomats to the Emperor in hopes of negotiating freedom for Montau, but the Emperor just laughed as he turned the diplomats to stone. They were broken into pieces and sent back to Montau in chests. The war for control of Montau was short and brutal as the hardened Argossean troops plowed through the poorly trained local army. The coastal region was quickly placed under Argossean control, and the Emperor himself slew King Ostelus by means of energy drain. His entire family was slaughtered so that none could legitimately claim the throne. The outlying northern areas of Montau were never conquered, but with the trading ports all under Argossean control they might as well have been. Freedom from the Empire After Montau was freed from the Empire in 187 AR, Naremi Kypal, a leader of the resistance, was proclaimed Queen of Montau. A new national charter was written even as the resistance armies moved on; under the new charter, the firstborn child of the Queen would succeed her regardless of gender. Queen Naremi married Garond Rogal, younger brother to Tombald (who would soon rule in Roslane). Their son, Naron, succeeded his mother upon her death in 240 AR. In 244 AR he began a campaign to clear and settle the forested region called Phalaren on the Savage Coast. His second son, Redrik, was made territorial governor of Phalaren in 263 AR. Phalaren became independent in 351 AR (see the page for Phalaren for more information). The location chosen for the colony seems unlikely when viewed on the map; the area of the Savage Coast directly north of Montau would appear more reasonable. However, the mountains north of Montau are nearly impassable, whereas an ancient trade road cuts through the mountains north of the Independent Cities. Also, the region chosen has more arable land than the area directly north of Montau. King Naron arranged a treaty with Zharaute and Pelanthia for access to the trade road, and supplemented this with seagoing convoys. Rebellion Within the Nation In 622 AR, rebellion broke out within Montau after Queen Tamara imposed one too many taxes on the merchants and laborers. Bradwell Symak (second son of the then-current Prince of the West Wind of Phalaren) was proclaimed Champion of Montau by the other leaders of the rebellion; his position both as an outsider and as a noble made him the least controversial of the resistance leaders. The civil war was long and bloody, with the rebels retreating into the mountains after each battle. In 625 AR, Princess Satha (youngest of the Queen's five daughters) joined the rebels, bringing over with her a few units of the army of Montau. When at last Bradwell's forces marched into Ovarin Dar, he proposed marriage to Satha; with her to provide some legitimacy to his reign, Bradwell Symak became the new King of Montau. He revised the national charter, and altered the system of taxation to be similar to that used in Alambar, said to be the fairest system ever devised. The descendants of Bradwell and Satha still rule in Montau, a land now known as a leading bastion of freedom in the world of Glain.
Phalaren was founded as a colony of Montau in 244 AR; beginning in 263 AR it was ruled by Redrik Rogal, second son of King Naron, as territorial governor. Phalaren became an independent nation in 351 AR when Redrik's grandson Guden declared himself King. He had quietly amassed a well-trained army and was able to blockade the mountain passes to prevent invasion. The navy of Montau responded, sailing around Intersia and along the Savage Coast to attack Phalaren from the sea; however they were unprepared for the dangers of the Savage Coast, and half the fleet was sunk or badly damaged by the time they arrived. Though the navy of Phalaren was smaller both numerically and in terms of ship size, their much shorter supply lines and better condition overall permitted them to hold off the navy of Montau with ease. Eventually, after a war which was much more expensive for Montau than Phalaren, King Kurik of Montau called off the attack and retreated. Montau continued to call Phalaren a territory until 479 AR, when the government of Phalaren was officially recognized at last. The Wind Princes of Phalaren The Wind Princes rose to power in the region of Phalaren in 597 AR, when they led their army against the evil Queen Lidia Rogal, cousin to the ruler of Roslane and Montau. They were Quidlock Abergon, a hunter from Phalaren, Shad Symak, a mystic from Glantra, Jemidon Pakran, a warrior from Roslane, and Arduth the Young, an astrologer from Alambar. Lidia's armies proved too powerful for them, and they were forced to take their rebel army into the forest. While they were there, Symak and Arduth arranged a pact with the four Wind Spirits. The group received pegasus steeds, and certain powers over the winds. In return, the spirits required the members of the group to always remain at peace, lest they lose their powers. Bolstered by their new powers, the Princes led their rebel forces successfully against Lidia, and took over Phalaren. Lidia fled into the wilderness, and is presumed to have died there. The current Wind Princes are Truvite Abergon, the Prince of the North Wind, Andrea Symak, the Princess of the West Wind, Marcus Pakran, the Prince of the South Wind, and Sansor D'Arduth, the Prince of the East Wind. All the Wind Princes have inherited the powers of the first. Some claim that the powers of the Wind Princes are in decline, but there is no proof of this. Andrea is the first Wind Princess; some in Phalaren have said that "a woman should not be Prince"; however, she demonstrably possessed the Power, and her father died without male heir, so the nay-sayers were overruled.
Tishen was founded sometime in the middle of the Second Age, by colonists from the Independent Cities. The city of Cadar Doven, now the capitol of Tishen, was founded by Doven of Zharaute as a trading post and fortress sometime around 950 TH. By 1000 TH Cadar Doven was a small but thriving city. In 1077 TH, ongoing problems with native humans came to a head with a devastating attack on Cadar Doven by barbarian forces. Chaos reigned in the entire area for more than twenty years. The city of Cadar Doven was rededicated in 1130 TH by Beos Derle, son of Domen Derle, the strongest of the barbarian leaders in the area, and Talisa Doven, great-granddaughter of the last Baron of Cadar Doven. Beos styled himself Duke, claiming equality with the rulers of the Independent Cities. Despite (or perhaps because of) Duke Beos massive hubris, Cadar Doven and the surrounding settlements grew swiftly under his leadership. By the time Beos grandson Istan took the throne, the land had become known by the name of the forest to the south, Tishen. Tishen has long had strong relations with the Independent Cities. Other than a brief border dispute around 1225 TH, Tishen has likewise been at peace with Alambar. In 15 AR, the armies of Thassius Phi's Argossean Empire marched into Tishen. Despite having had warning long in advance, the armies of Tishen were unprepared for the sheer size and power of the Imperial force, and the small nation was swiftly defeated. The period of Imperial rule in Tishen was fairly quiet, until the arrival of the rebel armies of the Argossean Rebellion in 188 AR. Though the Tishen people had provided very little overt resistance to the Empire, they had been storing supplies and materiel in secret locations for years, providing much relief (and many recruits) to the armies of the Great March.
No one really knows when the nation of Vortesia was founded; it seems to have existed as long as men have walked the hills and fields of the Continent. Vortesia has never been a place that outsiders cared to visit, unless they had no choice. In the First Age, Vortesia was a common destination for outcasts fleeing the rough justice of the Savage Coast and eastern coast areas. Sometime around 1200 TH, a powerful wizard named Gruven Ket assumed power in Vortesia, after disposing of the former King and his entire family. Sometime around 1235 TH, Ket became a Lich. He ruled until 1796 TH (525 AR), when the heros Lerrad, Faldren, and Hildron are believed to have defeated him.
In 772 TH, Enterone was founded by General Oberon of Roslane as he led the Roslanian 4th Army into the Serenhai Plains. While some of the Serenhai tribes and villages accepted the new regime, others did not, and many of the latter fled across the River Dya into the territory now called Derympi. That land was already home to many different tribes of the Serenhai peoples. Just fifteen years later, in 787 TH, the chieftains of the tribes of Derympi, facing the threat of an Enteronean attack across the Dya, united under one Great Chief named Hamat Shador. Great Chief Hamat delegated to the most powerful of the other chieftains rulership of specific regions of Derympi as well as command of specific contingents of their budding military. Advisors from Nisenria were hired to teach the tribesmen more modern methods of warfare, and dwarves from Olan were employed both in making weapons and armor and teaching the native smiths the same art. With these advantages the Great Chief was able to force the Enteronean advance to stop at the Dya. Though no blood was shed, the face-off between the new army and the Army of Enterone is considered a triumph by the people of Derympi. Soon enough, the Great Chief found he had need of his army, as the armies of Kel attacked. Kharakh Tehmnot was surprised by the well-armed, well-trained, highly motivated force his troops encountered, for he had believed them demoralized and unprepared, and Derympi remained free. In fact, in subsequent battles with Kel the armies of Derympi were able to secure control of a strip of Kelic territory including the towns of Bahruse and Kem-Pta. The Kharakh responded by stationing fully half of the his armies at Urdal Zo, building a huge fortress and armed camp at that location. The various rulers of Derympi have always attempted to maintain friendly relations with the neighboring elven kingdom of Olvenil. The elves, for the most part, have responded positively to this; in fact, many among the people of Derympi suspect that the elves are "pulling their strings," though this has never been proven. Though their history is dotted with warfare, modern Derympi is a peaceful and secure land. The people of Derympi are very traditional, considering themselves the last bastion of Serenhai culture. Their hatred of Enterone has cooled over the years, and a new treaty of non-aggression was signed with that land in 984 AR.
Immediately after the founding of the nation of Roslane in 771 TH (early in the Second Age), King Rossus sought to increase his dominion further. He sent one of his most senior generals, Sir Farron Oberon, and a quarter of his standing armies into the Serenhai Plains to the south. In those days, only humanoids, monsters, and a scattering of human tribesmen lived there. Many say that the founding of Enterone was just a ploy to remove his hard-to-control humanoid forces from the civilized areas then under his control. The advancing Roslanian 4th Army drove many of the tribesmen into Derympi, a land whose history is closely bound to Enterone's. General Oberon's forces found little real opposition in the plains, and quickly began taming the new territory. However, while advancing into the Sharr Forest, the army encountered resistance from the animals and even the trees therein, and it was then that Brother Hamnos of the Order of En-Teare made his presence known. He came to General Oberon's base camp under a flag of truce to parlay; when he left, three days later, the General had changed his allegiance. General Oberon decreed himself King, and demanded new oaths of loyalty from his troops. Most followed him, and he ordered imprisoned those who did not. He was a merciful captor, holding the dissenters only to avoid word of his treason from reaching King Rossus too soon. Within the year, Oberon had secured his position, swiftly building fortresses along the new border; by the time King Rossus learned of his General's treachery it was too late. Oberon's smaller force was able to hold the defensive line against the advancing Roslanian troops due to the able leadership of the new King and the sound wisdom of his chief advisor, Brother Hamnos. King Oberon gave liberal land grants to his loyal troops, encouraging them to remain loyal, and seeing his new benevolence, the tribesmen swore fealty to him also. Though Enterone, like all nations, has had leaders both good and bad, for the most part the successors to Oberon were both kind and wise. In 812 TH King Oberon II of Enterone built a mighty fortress at Vallerin, where the Dya pours out of Lake Dyasa, and eventually it became his palace and Vallerin his capitol. The Regency Council In 1258 TH, not long before the founding of the Argossean Empire, King Oberon the XII rose to power in Enterone. Oberon the XII, named Gallus, had been sent to Shellas for his tutoring as a boy, and was very impressed with their democratic-republic form of government. He chose not to marry, and was careful to produce no heir to take his place; instead he made arrangements for a new form of government to follow his death. In 1280 TH, Gallus Oberon died, slain by a assassin's poison dart. Resistance to his plans for a new government fell before the mourning of his subjects, and his plan was implemented much as he had envisioned it. A Regency Council was formed, consisting of three religious members and four nobles. The religious members were selected one each from the orders of En-Teare, Aturahs, and Prolethra. The noble members would be selected by the governors of the four provinces. The Regency Council would then choose one of the noble members by election to become the Regent of Enterone; that member would still remain a member of the Council also. A simple majority of four was all that was needed to so empower a new Regent, but all six regular members had to agree to depose him. For the most part the Regency system has been good for Enterone, for even those who say that the Regency is never as wise as the wisest old-time King must also admit that the Regency is never as foolish as the worst King. Inhabitants Enterone is a melting pot of cultures. After centuries of cohabitation by peoples of Northlander and Serenhai origin, Enterone's primary population is a mixture of the two, at the midpoint in color and features between the two. Of course, there are still enclaves of nearly pure Serenhai tribesmen in the wilder eastern plains and hills, and a few families of nearly pure Northlanders in the cities. Enterone is also a common destination for those fleeing harsh regimes, such as lower-castes from Nisenria and ex-slaves fleeing Kel. Most Enteronean cities, particularly ports, will have foreign quarters inhabited by resident aliens. Immigrants are rarely permitted to become citizens (as there are just too many) but children born inside the borders are given a chance. The male children may choose to be examined by the elders of the community when they reach the age of 15 (but not after age 19). Daughters of immigrants are granted citizenship automatically if they marry a citizen (naturalized or otherwise), or they may choose to be examined just as the males are. The examination is intended to determine if the petitioner is likely to be a contributing member of society. The Borderlands Castle D'Angelo The outer wall of Castle D'Angelo was formed from earth elementals. Arcan, younger brother of Roland (who founded the castle and the barony around it), owned a Stone of Summoning Earth Elementals which could be used once per day (no charges). At the end of each day when they had not needed the elemental for some other reason, he would summon one and have it stand beside the previous one's stony form, arms curled over its head, and then he would dismiss it. He created two such courses which they filled with rubble to form a proper outer wall. This also helped in digging out the tunnels beneath the castle... because that's where he summoned each elemental.
Kel is one of the oldest nations of Glain. The present Kelic ruler, Kharakh Jeklaranon the 23rd, traces his lineage to the ancient Kharakhs of Amun-Syn. While many question this (in private), it is accepted that Malkan, the capitol of Kel, was also the capitol of Amun-Syn. The people of Kel are a unique physical type in Glain, having deep golden-bronze skin, black hair, round eyes, medium height and strong, aquiline features. Unfortunately, there is little left in Kel of the tradition of honor which prevailed in ancient times; the last vestige of that way of life is found in Alaxtar. Kel is not the fertile land it was in those ancient times, and even as the poor have become poorer the rich have become decadent. Kel is one of the few nations which still permits slavery and the slave trade, and Kelic law grants virtually no rights or priviledges to aliens within their borders. These factors combine to make Kel a dangerous land to visit.
Olan is the only true "nation" of dwarves on the continent of Glain. As with the elven lands, Olan's history is largely unknown to men. Most dwarves choose to live in underground cities, often called "mines" (a poor translation from the dwarvish word). These cities are rarely far underground, but all are believed to be connected by tunnels and caverns. Some old stories claim that all dwarven mines are connected, all over the continent; but this contention is dismissed as silly by most humans. Olan is also home to many gnomes, who live "outside" the mountains, on the green slopes lower down. Some gnomes act as traders, transporting dwarvish goods to human or half-elven markets. Though these are in the minority, most gnomes known by humans are traders, and so there is a common misconception that all gnomes are such.
Olvenil is the homeland of the high elves of Glain. Their history is shrouded by time, for it is known that their capitol city of Neoll Aolen was ancient when Thanamor was founded. The high elves are seen for the most part as a secretive race, disinterested in the doings of shorter-lived races such as humans. Their discomfort in doing business with humans has led to the founding of more recent cities such as Wethylin, Fauria, Aduwenna, and Perwendra, where the majority of the population are half-elves. Most half-elves (more than 99%) have half-elven parents. Elves rarely mate intentionally with humans, and as female elves are only fertile at most five days a year, it is assumed that most half-elves are descended from human women impregnated by elf males. Half-elves also rarely mate with humans, and elves rarely with half-elves. The reason is simple: What parent would choose to have a child only to outlive that child? The half-elven cities of Olvenil are nearly autonomous from the parent nation; the elven kings have long felt that half-elves are better fit to rule themselves than the elves are to rule them. Half-elves are able to function both in human and elven society in a limited fashion, and they are responsible for most commerce between the two races. It is known by most that the elves once ruled all of Glain. What is not so obvious is why they are in decline, but it is really quite simple. In ancient times, before the founding of Thanamor by men, the orcs warred with the elves. Though the orcs were outclassed and defeated each time they attacked, they were able to replace their losses many times faster than the elves; so each war set the elves back centuries, causing their numbers and their lands to shrink even though they won every war.
Incarsus was a Thanamoran subject-state by around 100 TH, having previously been "ruled" by a mish-mash of human and humanoid tribes. The Thanamoran army drove back the humanoids and established colonies in the coastal regions. The natives, mostly of Nisen stock, were treated as second-class citizens by the mostly Shandor people of the colonies, but as being a second-class citizen of a wealthy empire was better than being a fearful tribesman in a jungle full of evil humanoids, many accepted their lot without argument. During the latter part of the Thanamoran rule the Nisen minority staged several uprisings, all ruthlessly crushed by the increasingly totalitarian Thanamorans. The Cataclysm finally ended the Thanamoran Empire, but the local Shandoran majority held on to control. Nisen uprisings largely ceased by 1000 TH, and by 1200 TH Incarsus had become a destination for low-caste refugees from Nisenria. In 99 AR (1271 TH), King Riolon ** to be finished **
Jamphar was founded as a Thanamoran territory early in the First Age. The former inhabitants, mostly orcs, were slain or driven back into the forests to the north in the course of several wars. After the Cataclysm the territorial governor, Janus Holdrum, crowned himself King Janus I of Jamphar. His reign was stormy but brief, and as he had no male heir his chief lieutenant Bargus Tandar succeeded him. King Bargus was more successful, ** to be finished ** Jamphar is a nation largely composed of open plains. Some swampy coastal areas may be found.
Nisenria is among the oldest nations of Glain. They claim to have originated the calendar of months and seasons now used by all nations, and they have their own calendar of years (where 1 Nisenrian is equal to -117 Thanamoran). The beginning of the Nisenrian calendar is said to be the date when the god Kishalu (usually identified with En-Teare) gave the great warrior and statesman Manzaber the Sceptre of Rulership. Manzaber is credited with using his own power and the power of the Rod to quell the petty warlords and unify the nation. The primary feature of life in Nisenria is the caste system. Each person is born into a caste, and a person's caste cannot ever be changed. The castes are ral, the nobility, kal, the merchants and artisans, shal, the common laborers, and mor-ha, the unclean. Those of the lowest caste are believed unfit to touch, requiring any higher-caste person who touches or is touched by one to undergo a cleansing ritual. Those who are "unclean" are allowed to do only the lowest and dirtiest of jobs, such as cleaning sewers. A few are lucky enough to find work similar to that done by the common laborers, but always it is harder work for less pay. Many mor-ha have emigrated to Enterone, where they usually become resident aliens, doing common labor for pay which is only a fraction higher than that which they would have received at home. They do this because their children have a good chance to be accepted as subjects of Enterone, perhaps even being apprenticed to an artisan to learn a trade; such advancement being strictly impossible in their homeland. Foreigners in Nisenria are treated as if they are one-half step below natives who do similar work; so a sailor would be treated as a half-step below a native shal, but still not unclean. All native clerics are from the lowest ranks of the ral caste, while most mages are ral or kal. Warriors may come from any caste, though of course officers are all ral. Thieves may be of any caste, but the "stereotypical" thief is assumed to be mor-ha. It is among the unclean that the militia search first when thievery or robbery are reported.
To be completed.
To be completed. |
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| Chris Gonnerman <chris.gonnerman@newcenturycomputers.net> | ||
| Nations and Regions | Last Updated 08/21/2006 |