Population: 6,010,000 Area: ~180,000 sq miles (~466,000 sq km) Capitol: Voldrak-Tosh (pop: 205,000) Other Major Cities: Culdaaz-Tosh, Ubnag-Walg, Volrax-Walg, Frumar-Tosh, Kamzar-Ranz, Frexhai-Ranz Demographics: 70% Goblinoid, 10% Slobolakoi (slaves), 10% Orc (Slaves), 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Timber, Fish, Hides, Fur, Livestock, Iron, Silver Borders: Land of Black Ice, Icy Sea, Southern reaches of Cold Marshes, Line connecting western Cold Marshes to Burneal Forest, Burneal Forest (about 400 miles westwards)
The Zoldrek Emipire is a growing Goblinoid empire created by Zoldrek the Piercer 200 years ago. Led by Hobgobins, this state grew from the area between the Cold Marshes , the Icy Sea and the Burneal Forest. It has expanded into all of these areas –especially the Burneal. Over the past 200 years, this empire has quadrupled in size and it seems set on further conquest in all directions.
While normal economic activities–farmer, timber harvesting, fishing, do play a role in this empire–they are all there to feed into the raiding and conquest that drive this nation. The capture and maintenance of slavery–mainly Human and Orcish, led to certain tribes departing the empire to the borders of the Jarek League. These groups are seen as traitors who will eventually be dealt with–but they are not as attractive as targets as the Luetkan Kingdom and the Vuksha Confederation in terms of priorities. The Orcs of Whitetusk are also a hated enemy and the two groups raid each other frequently.
Population: 4,896,000 Area: ~144,000 sq miles (~372,800 sq km) Capitol: None known. Other Major Cities: Gommah, Nanliff, Raznissa, Shonmun, Dessava, Romnu, Mamlu Demographics: Appears 85% Rodinian, 15% Misc (Actually 50% Rodinian, 10% Misc, and 40% Yuan-Ti in plateau area) Resources/Trading goods: Fish, Produce, Precious woods, (Gold & Iron in plateau) Borders: Azure Sea, Spinridge Mts., Southern Fungal Swamplands of Vast Swamp, Oljatt Sea, Tilva Straitt, Densac Gulf
The Zamaro coasts are chock full of small fishing villages, agricultural plantations, and even some decent sized cities along the long coasts. Each of these coastal areas has a religious shrine and the larger cities have temples. The officials of these temples–who are always shrouded in Dark green coverings from head to toe refuse to speak directly to outsiders and always use intermediaries.
While the villages will trade with outsiders, the interlopers are always then encouraged to leave within a day. Groups that have remained beyond their welcome or who try to push inland have never apparently returned. There are, however, numerous rumors about cities of gold in the interior forests up on the central plateau. This had led to many illicit quests by adventurers. Most of these also do not return, but there are the occasional stragglers who appear in Lunasia or Azurdee who speak of horrors and abominations living in the heart of Zamorro.
(In reality–and not known to the outside world, built into the plateau is a vast underground network of tunnels inhabited by Countless Yuan-ti refugees from the Amedio Jungle Apocalypse. Their minions control the surrounding coasts and are building up an army in Hempmonaland. They have also sent groups to infiltrate the Vast Swamp and take over the LizardFolk tribes or drive them out.
Special emissaries have also been sent to infiltrate the Rodinian religious organizaitons to corrupt them and get them to divide the Human civilizations. It was these groups that led the Prelate of Ahlissa to reintrepret the text in ways that led the Clergy to persecute their Demi-human allies. The Yuan-ti are bent on Dividing and conquering and their primary targets are the Rodinian humans who devastated their original homeland. They are also connected to the takeover of the Cisaltian Islands. )
Population: 2,304,000 Area: ~131,000 sq miles (~339,100 sq km) Capitol: None Other Major Cities: Romany, Silvank, Wallech Demographics: 40% Falkunen, 25% Rodinian, 35% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Ruins, Artifacts, Metals, Gems in the Great Rift Borders: Fellreev Forest, Bluff Hills, Zumker River, Artonsamay River, Rift Canyon lands, Ritensa River, edges of the Grasslands that border Dragonmark.
The Wildlands with the Great Rift
The Wild lands are not really a state so much as an area of chaos where might makes right. The biggest feature of the area is the Great Rift, which was created a little less than a century ago within the period of a year. Outside of the rift are wasteslands created by the highly saline mists (the area used to have massive salt mines) that have desicated much of the area.
For hundreds of years in the past, this area was under control of a Rodinian Royal Family–House Ventari–who had fled here after leading an unsuccessful coup against the Caelendari emperors of the Great Rodinian Empire. House Ventari had been an early offshoot of the Caelendari–at least through marriage–but they were not as skilled in warfare and had overplayed their cards in the Rodinian Empire. After being thoroughly defeated there, they were lucky to flee to the fertile areas south of Fangwood forest with their remaining loyal legions. They soon conquered the towns and farmlands in this area and set up their powerbase.
Luckily for House Ventari, they were soon cut off from are are the Rodinian Empire by the Great Migration of the Falkunish tribes to the eastern Vlanaesses. This mass migration cut off reprisals from Rodinian troops for approximately 150 years, which allowed House Ventari to consolidate their power in the lands between Nyr Dyv & the Fellreev forest, which became the Overlordship of Ventari.
From their capital city of Ventallia, the Overlordship made numerous attempts to extend their power and conquer neighboring areas. To the west and south, they were relatively unsuccessful, as the Falkunish migrants were heavily armed and numerous. The only area where they had some success was to the Northeast between the Bluff Hills, Griff Mountains and Phostwood. This area had a population that was mostly Rodinian, and most of the states were small and disorganized, which made conquests significantly easier.
Unfortunately for the areas that were conquered, the Overlordship’s domination was brutal. Those that resisted were generally punished with mass deportations and enslavement in the profitable salt mines that had been found under Ventari lands. This policy, however, would eventually lead to the downfall of House Ventari in the year 1201 PA.
The original cause of this downfall was the conquest of a mid-sized town of Jenskylak just to the west of Jalbak and north of the Phostwood. This town put up strong resistance to Ventari troops, but eventually fell through treachery. As punishment for their resistance, nearly three-quarters of the population was marched off in chains to the Salt-mines. Many died on the march of nearly 400 miles, and those that did were the lucky ones. Those that had survived the march were sent down to work in the Salt mines for the rest of their lives.
One of these Survivors was a Necromancer named Sylvalig Hnilo, who gave birth to her final child–Kalin–down in the Salt mines. Sylvalig was careful to hide her power from the overseers–who would have killed her had they known–and to train Kalin whenever she could. Kalin was a gifted sorcerer who absorbed all of her knowledge. Watching his mother die at age 12, Kalin developed his powers was eventually able to break out of the Salt mines by age 17 (1128 PA) by having conjured a small army of undead from dead miners.
Kalin had watched his entire family destroyed in the salt mines, and after escaping, had sworn vengeance and done everything possible to gain enough power to do so. He would succeed–after having become a Lich–by opening up a massive planar Rift within the Salt Mines under Ventallia and having it swallow every parcel of land and every fortification controlled by House Ventari. No member of that House appeared to survive this event.
As it stands, after the destruction of the Ventari capital, the whole country fell into chaos with bandits and roving hordes of monstrosities erupting from the Rift have been an issue ever since. There are many reports from those who explored the rift that there are actual portals to other worlds that er still open there, which has drawn the attention of the Drgaonborn states and many others across the Vlanaesses.
Population: 4,734,000 Area: ~164,000 sq miles (~424,600 sq km) Capitol: Ikkahnoth (pop: 214,000) Other Major Cities: Walukanoth, Aborek, Krazzanur, Sakeg’nuk, Trakorg’nuk, Shamharnoth, Valbruggar Demographics: 75% Orc, 25% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Timber, Livestock, Iron, Fish, Leather goods Borders: Griff Mts., Forlorn Forest, White Fanged Bay, Icy Sea, Corusk Mts., Gulf Just east of Hraak Forest
Whitetusk Raider
The Whitetusk Raiders are proof that powerful, clever, and stable orcish states can exist, but only when everything about their organization is flipped on its head. The orcs who originally made up the tribes that settled this area mainly came from the orc tribes that were destroyed by the Rodinian empire around 500 PA. However, others have since migrated here from other areas. Some fled from the areas that twere conquered by the Dragonborn. Others from the areas around the Fellreev forest when the Overlordship of Ventari took form. Still others more recently arrived from across the Griff and Corrusk mountains when the Skandinak tribes arrived and pushed them out of these territories.
Initially, all of these different Orc tribes battled each other for supremacy in almost constant bloodshed. This continued for centuries–along with obvious raides against neighboring groups–until approximately 100 years ago. It was then that Dagleth Whitetusk emerged from the Hraak forest and conquered 6 different neighboring tribes within the year. Under her clever and calculating leadership, orc tribes were transformed from chaotic blood-thirsty bands seeking the next easy score, to disciplined war machines that patiently built their strength.
It is not 100% clear how Dagleth initially achieved her success, but some have speculated that she has the support of the Orcish goddess Luthic, who has long sought a way to better care for all of her orcish children. There are tales by some of Dagleth helping to weed out both the most impatient, and also least intelligent of the young orcs in her tribe, while also cleverly playing more violent–but stupider male orcs against each other.
Whatever the case, Dagleth had become the de factor tribal ruler by the time she was 14, and she led her tribe to conquering neighboring orcs in the Hraak forest rapidly. By the time she was 30, her Whitetusk raiders moved out of the Hraak forest and conquered all neighboring tribes. Instilling in her daughters the importance of her plan (or at least those that survived her ruthless weeding of even her own children), they have continued to carry out her plans and they have gradually built up the first matriarchal Orcish state that the world has never seen.
Initially, the Whitetusk Raiders carried out raids against Nordmark and against the Goliath Fiefdoms, but such raids are often costly in terms of troops, and so Dagleth’s Daughters (as all Whitetusk leaders are named) have curtailed such raids. There is even–although most discount this as pure fantasy–talk that the Whitetusk raiders have sent peaceful emissaries to establish trade relations with Nordmark and the Fiefdoms. Whatever the truth of that, it is clear that the favored target of Whitetusk raiders is now the Zoldrek Empire across the Icy Sea. Every summer the Whitetusk Raiders will attack the Zoldrek empire and try to steal booty, free slaves, and also kill as many Goblinoids as possible.
Population: 3,120,000 Area: ~136,500 sq miles (~353,400 sq km) Capitol: Pulkarast (pop: 138,000) Other Major Cities: Slatina, Buzkavo, Varladska, Dorokvai, Mankaria Demographics: 75% Slobolakoi, 10% Dwarf, 10% Gnome, 5% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Timber, Grain, Iron, Copper, Furs Borders: Dramidj Ocean, Burneal Forest, Fler river, Yatil Mts., Yecma Hills
The Vuksha Confederation
The Vuksha Confederation is a group of smaller principalities made up of 6 major cities and their surrounding areas. This situation was very similar to the Luetkan Kingdom before the rise of the Zoldrek Empire. The Confederation is named for the Treaty of Vuksha that solidified trading relations between the cities along with tolls and tariffs for trade passing through the area.
For a long time, there was almost no standing army, but recently, there have been raids from the Zoldrek empire as it expands into the Burneal forest. This has disrupted the formerly highly lucrative timber production in the East and is causing tensions within the confederation as the Cities of Buzkavo (NE, where Fler River and Burneal forest meet) and Dorokvai (NW on Dorok river) have now lost significant revenue and are subject to goblinoid raiding. They have been asking for increased taxes to fund protective forces, but the other cities are loathe to agree.
Whether the Vuksha Confederation can survive these pressures is unclear. To the south, the Kingdom of Mauryansk has offered help in the form of military units to combat the Zoldrek armies, but the leaders in Pulkarast are leery of Mauryansk offers, as there is a history of Mauryansk troops coming and then never leaving.
Population: 1,314,000 Area: ~27,000 sq miles (~69,900 sq km) Capitol: Razante (pop: 88,000) Other Major Cities: Kuranzo, Izarkotia, Lekaiso Demographics: 80% Vasken, 10% Gnome, 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Grain, Livestock, Fish, Gold, Exotic Wood Borders: Vasken Sea, The Headlands, Azure Sea
The Vaskenland
Vaskenland is unique in the Vlanaesses in that its human inhabitants were settled here long before any of the waves of Rodinians or other humans spread to these areas. Their settlement here is so ancient that the Elven word for “human” in the Vlanaesses is “Ta’Vaska” “One of the Vasken.” The difference of the Vasken to other humans is also seen in their language and script, which has absolutely nothing in common with other human languages.
This difference has both hurt and helped the Vasken over time. On the one hand, it has sometimes made them the target of attacks of larger groups looking for a scaepgoat. On the other hand, the long and deeply rooted culture of the Vasken has bonded the people together strongly and Vasken travelling around the Vasken Sea can always find support in the local Vasken communities there whether they know the folk or not.
Stepping back, there is good evidence that the Vasken were once distributed over a far greater area than present. In fact, recent archaeological digs in the Khanate of Lakonica have turned up buried cities with books written in an archaic Vaskish script. There are also rumors of an island in a lake in the Griff Mountains that is hidden by illusion and inhabited by ancient wizards speaking a language that no one in the area understands, but which has been thought to be ancient Vaskish.
In any case, it is only in Vaskenland itself that the Vasken have their own state currently, although there are many Vasken living around the coast of the Vasken sea in other states (There might actually be more Vasken in Upper Sagenland and in Lunasia than in Vaskenland itself..) As a nation, the Vaskenland was independent for much of its existence until the Rodinians showed up along the coasts. They greatly outnumbered the Vasken and took over much of the territory they had held . They even eventually conquered the Vaskenland itself, but the province was never without minor revolts, and when the empire went into decline, Vaskenland was one of the first areas to break free.
Currently, Vaskenland is menaced by the Prelate of Ahlissa, who considers all of the Vasken to be heretics worthy of punishment, but the Vasken have a strong alliance with the Free city of Ferrvil. The Vasken supply foodstuffs and Contingents of Archers–for which they are famous–and in return the Ferrvillians supply iron to the Vasken as well as serving as a bulwark against any invading land army. The Vasken also have very good relations with the Sea Elves and the Elvish states to the North and west.
Population: 15,210,000 Area: ~390,000 sq miles (~1,009,600 sq km) Capitol: Kannunder (pop: 721,000) Other Major Cities: Sachwerin, Laibstieg, Werkburg, Reiyanfurt, Blaudorf, Schwundam, Merzlangen, Augsstad, Kunster, Tablenz, Damburg, Faerlin, Franzheim, Frankau, Brunnick, Jahlenburg, Giesbaden, Wyrmsburg Demographics: 65% Falkunen, 15% Elf, 10% Vasken, 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Grains, Livestock, Gems, Iron, Silver, Timber, Fish. Borders: Nyr Dyv, Attonsamay River, Phostwood, line going SE to Gamboge Forest, South edge of Rakers, Flinty Hills (eastern edges) NW Corner of Adri Forest, Line from where Harp river bumps into southern Flinty hills going SW to Deep bay of Vasken Sea, Nesser River up to Nyr Dyv.
Upper Sagenland
Upper Sagenland is the largest Falkunish state in the Flanaesses. Settled by the core of the Sagenak tribes that moved eastwards in the great migration, it occupies a strategic location between the former Great Rodinian Kingdom–to which it built some close ties at one time–and the burgeoning trade network that is growing on Nyr Dyr.
Until recently, the Nesser river was the main avenue for shipping across Nyr Dyr, but with the opening of the Selintan canal by Blaufax, a good chunk of the trade now takes that route. Still, a signifcant amount of trade flows through Upper Sagenland, and it is also blessed with good croplands, ample timber supplies from multiple forests, and even some metals–both precious and industrial (iron) from the Flinty hills.
Politically, Upper Sagenland stands as a bulwark against any revival of the corrupted Great Rodinian Kingdom, and it skirmishes regularly with forces from Ahlissa. This great hostility to the Rodinian lands would have appeared unthinkable even 100 years ago, when the marriage between the King of Upper Sagenland and the younger sister (Monica) of the Caelendari Royal family made it seem like the two countries were going to become one unified state. Such a nation–combining the power of the Rodinian and Falkunish nations–would have created the most powerful state in all of the Vlanaeses–rivaling even the older Parthiskian and Geltorian empires.
But when the Rodinian Emperor–Monica’s brother–died and political machinations led to the decision to skip over Monica Caelendari and give the crown to her younger half-brother, this future superstate was lost. Some have argued that the different religious beliefs of Monica’s Falkunish husband–particularly his normal Sagenak lack of faith in gods at all–played a big role these decisions within the Rodinian Empire, especially because the worship of Solaternus had become more central within the Rodinian Empire by that point. Most suspect that the Prelate of Ahlissa and the Church of Solaternus overall swayed other houses in the Great Kingdom to overlook Monica.
In any case, within 50 years of that decision, Upper Sagenland had fought and won a war against the Rodinian empire, which then fell apart at the seems. In constrat, Upper Sagenland has only become more powerful and is the strongest state in the Eastern Vlanaesses at this time.
Population: 2,486,000 Area: ~76,000 sq miles (~196,700 sq km) Capitol: Marruk’noz (pop: 169,000) Other Major Cities: Waarok, Yarrog, Glank’nor, Druazor Demographics: 60% Orc, 20% Dwarf, 10 Geldae, 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Livestock, Leather goods, Grains, Metals, Gems Borders: Crystalmist Mts., The Jotens, Little Hills, Dreadwood, Hool Marshes, Tor Hills
The Uruk Palatinate
When The Britennza Clan broke the power of the humanoid tribes in the Hool Marshes, most fled into these fertile plains and into the Jotens and Crystalmist mountains when chased. But there, they found allies–Hill and Fire Giants who then led them back through this territory to raid surrounding areas. This instability continued for many centuries and this territory remained a threat to surrounding territories for over 500 years.
But that all changed with the Founding of the Uruk Redeemers, who built up fortresses in the eastern half of the territory and have slowly worked to claim more and more of it. Today, they control 90% of the territory–nearly up to the mountains themselves. Shocking to most who are not from here, is the fact the the Redeemers are a religious order of mostly Orcs–along with some humans, Dwarves, and other humanoids–who have pledged themselves to righteous living and the maintenance of order and peace.
Many still find it shocking to see Orcs from the plains meet up with the Dwarves of the Little hills for their yearly competitions to see who are the best Axe throwers, and who can outdrink each other–but the Orcs here have proven that they can turn their fierceness towards a purpose greater than themselves, and it seems to be working.
Population: 2,229,000 Area: ~62,000 sq miles (~160,500 sq km) Capitol: Daufflin (pop: 116,000) Other Major Cities: Gillkarnak, Falway, Sliggranth, Wragheda Demographics: 45% Geldae, 35% Falkunen, 10% Gnome, 10% Miscellaneous Resources/Trading goods: Grain, Gold, Silver, Cloth Borders: Jotens, Crystalmist Mts., Stark Mounds, Javan River
Union of Krimsligo
Krimsligo county’s history serves as a reminder of the deep intertwining of the Geldae and Gottenak peoples throughout the Sheldomar valley. While the Geldae were the first human settlers in this area–the arrival of the Gottenak tribes from the north was first experienced as a major conflict and disruption.
While the Gottenak tribes had been moving into the Northern reaches of the Sheldomar valley for over a hundred years–with many bloody battles and changing battle lines, it was first in this territory that the two groups first sought to settle their differences and come together. In this endeavor, the Leader of the Gottenak migrants–Alarig Krimm–married the head of the most powerful Geldae Family–Gwedonlan Sligo–and they merged their names and families to become the House of Krimsligo. Several other leaders and families from both groups followed suit and set a precedent for future generations.
When the Krimsligo house sent emissaries to the Gallatian Proctectorate offering their services in negotiating with the Gottenak tribes that they had been battling in the Northern end of the valley, they were at first treated warily, but their success in brokering a cessation of hostilities between the Proctectorate and the Gottenak tribes pressing down from north of the rushmoors was seen as a godsend.
Within the next 20 years, most hostillities were greatly reduced and diplomatic and trade relations throughout the valley stabilized. Since that Time, the Union has been nominally allied to the Gallatian Proctectorate, but its internal affairs are entirely its own. It produces numerous foodstuffs along with gems and metals from the Crystalmist mountains. I’s biggest problems come from the raiders in the Jotens, which are a constant menace.
The Philosophy of NOM 