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Tir Baran

Caught between the hammer of the great Târiquan desert, and the anvil of the Hordes of Mag Mor, the fabled Bandit Kingdoms of Trall-Goth are bathed in chaos and death as from season to season and year-to-year they are locked in a state of perpetual war. Historians despair of ever having an accurate count of all the different kingdoms that have cropped up there over the past 750 years, much less all the warlords, archmages, and religious zealots who have spilled blood in their fields.

The settlement that would eventually grow into the modern Kingdoms was originally established in 237 ER by a group of entrepreneurs from Kar-Thone. As is often the case, they were attempting to secure a trade route. At this time, very little north of the Adonai Mountains or west of the Tethynaran forest was settled in any meaningful way, and the Empire was just beginning to consider the possibility of expansion. Civilization was still very much centered around Perelinn, and as a result trading was a very dangerous proposition. The settlers of the Perelinn Expansionist Cooperative, however, hoped to set up a trading route with Târiq and the barbarians of Mag Mor to the north, Perelinn in the East, and the Kharolan of Khezek Tor to the south. Their ambitious plan would bring together for the first time in an organized way the trading partners that were emerging from the wreckage of the Faery Wars.

Unfortunately, the venture was doomed to failure. Given the reduced population at the time, and the extreme dangers found in the wilderness of the early Empire, the trade route proved to be too costly to maintain. After five years of work, money ran out and the Cooperative disbanded.

This left the settlers of the Mag Morian outpost in very bad straights, as it effectively left them stranded far beyond the reaches of the civilized world. With no caravan bringing foodstuffs and luxury items like clothing, and practically no communication with the outside world, many felt that it was time to abandon their post and head back to city life. Others, however, had taken a liking to the simple ways they had adopted. These people took advantage of the friendship they had formed with the Eagle Claws during trading visits, and learned from them the survival skills they would need to persevere without a regular influx of imported goods.

Over the years, the community grew. Barbarians, Târiquans and Kar-Thonians alike gradually passed that way as civilization slowly turned its eye northwards. A few always stayed behind, taken with the tranquil life at Fithwin Outpost. Soon, the original settlement had grown and talk began of expansion. By the year 284 ER, the once trade-based community had grown into a thriving land of small farming communities and villages, known collectively under the name of the Tir Belwyr, the Free Lands.

The Free Lands were almost utopian. As they was extremely isolated, it took very determined people to get there, and so only the most dedicated of applicants arrived to take up permanent residence. These hardy people, free spirits all, joined together to form a community of understanding and peace. They became known far and wide for their knowledge of old lore, their wisdom, and their healing prowess. It is said that even the Emperor of Kar-Thone himself paid Donal Child of Dana a visit, and received his blessing.

This all changed, of course, when the gold was discovered. The people had lived there for generations without ever discovering it; once word got out, however, it spelled the end of Tir Belwyr. The area was still very isolated, and undefended. Those who lived there had never had anything of value to the barbarian hordes and marauders that ranged the desert and plains, except for healing. As they gladly this service free of charge to farmer and bandit alike, they had escaped molestation.

No longer.

Treasure hunters arrived in hordes, along with the mercenaries, bandits and hucksters this sort of situation generally attracts. They fought, despoiled the natives' land, and looked for gold in their spare time. Things only went from bad to worse when a drunken worker uncovered the burial crypt of an ancient king, stuffed with riches. Soon, the Lands had a reputation in both the Empire and the North as an entrepreneur's dream. It did not help matters that during this time, gold and archaeological riches flowed in amazing quantities from the hills and streams of the land, adding further fuel to the flames.

Several decades later, when the wealth began to taper off and the smoke began to clear, a drastic change had taken place. The original inhabitants were mostly dead or gone. A few had remained behind, either in a vain hope of outlasting the gold, or in a bitter effort to take advantage of what had apparently been under their feet all along. The population of the area, however, had grown at a fantastic rate. Much of the populace had naturally consolidated itself into distinct tent cities for protection. Each was generally controlled by some sort of military figure, who provided the locals with protection in return for authority. Once the gold became scarce, and the riches of the ancient dead became more dangerous to retrieve, these warlords turned their attention to the lands around them. They saw a vast amount of unsettled land, plentiful resources, and a ready-made peasantry. The Maeve-struck bunch soon set to work butchering one another in a battle for all-out domination.

Unfortunately, the remaining 600 years or so have been much the same, as bandit king after thief prince after paladin crusader have slain thousands in an attempt to gain control of this land. Some of the greatest battles in modern memory have been fought here on the bones of the long dead. Although the lure of treasure has receded, the land itself is rich enough to stand as a perpetual lure to the ambitious.

In recent years, the Land has attracted intense scrutiny from several major continental powers, including the Empire of Kar-Thone and the City-states of Mellik and Allesh-Gilliam. These groups have begun devoting resources to the task of "civilizing" the Kingdoms of Strife , thus making its riches more accessible and securing once and for all safe passage from the Empire to the Plains of Mag Mor, and vice versa. This interference has increased the level of stability in the area, and now alliances and kingdoms can hope to survive longer than a year. The bad news is that it has introduced old world politics into the scheme. In essence, what the Land lost in sheer brutality it has more than made up for in intrigue and more subtle evils.

Current Political Structure

As mentioned above, the Kingdoms have become slightly more stable in recent years, due largely in part to an influx of Kar-Thonian money, goods, and advisors. By 950 ER, Emperor Delwen had grown tired of footing the exorbitant cost of protecting Imperial trading caravans as they made their way northwards towards Mellik and Allesh-Gilliam. He also recognized the trading potential present in the rich lands of Tir Baran, if only its inhabitants would stop slaughtering one another.

The Empire soon embarked on a far-reaching yet covert program of social engineering, devoting a vast amount of time and resources to the goal of making the Land a suitable trading partner and safe haven for its caravans. Unfortunately, even the skill of the Hidden's master negotiators has not been proof against the avarice and bloodlust that has permeated the atmosphere of the place for centuries. Despite the Empire's best efforts, the kingdoms and provinces that it supports (called Protectorates) have fared only marginally better that their peers. For example, the average life expectancy for a sovereign state in Tir Baran is 2.5 years, whereas an Imperial Protectorate survives approximately 4.

In the year 977 ER, there are approximately 22 kingdoms. Of these, 4 have been established in the last 6 months. Only 10 are older than a year. Unsurprisingly, these 10 contain the 4 current Imperial Protectorates, as well as the two kingdoms which are getting support from Allesh-Gilliam and Mellik.

Below is a listing of current "players" in what passes for the political scene in the Kingdoms of Strife.

Dam-Gwanyr

Dam-Gwanyr is a puppet of the city-state of Mellik, and it is easy to see the stain of that city on this place. For one thing, it is a much less permanently settled area than all save the greenest of kingdoms. The majority of the towns are comprised of tents, and are apt to move locations without notice, (though they always claim the same name when they become stationary again).

In its current incarnation, Dam-Gwanyr serves as a massive excavation camp of sorts, whose purpose is to gather wealth for the various organized crime outfits operating out of the Iron Rose of the North . Most of the townsfolks have been hired by one group or another to hunt for the land's fabled wealth, either through mining, panning, or adventuring.

King Twioth the Large , it should be noted, is the brother of Marius Heptomus , Chancellor of Mellik. Some believe that King Twioth was sent here, to the ass end of nowhere, in order to keep his more influential brother in line.

Boorala

Boorala is the protectorate of Allesh-Gilliam, rival city of Mellik and second most powerful burg on the continent! Unfortunately, the kingdom it has chosen to support is not in as good a shape. In order to trump their hated Mellakan counterparts and establish their outpost first, the city cut corners and was not especially picky about who it hired to go along.

In the 3 years since it was established, Boorala has turned itself into an interesting microcosm of typical Bandit Kingdom behaviors. The majority of the "townsfolk" are in actuality mercenary goblins, orcs and ogres, generally under the control of a corrupt, but slightly more intelligent, human or half-orc. It did not take long for these groups to set about splitting up into various camps and then attacking one another for control of the kingdom.

Thankfully, they are usually so focused on killing each other that they tend to ignore their neighbors.

It appears that Allesh-Gilliam is prepared to make a fresh start, however. Recently, they began advertising for an adventuring group to go to Boorala. Their objective is to slaughter everything they can find there and then report back to the city.

Gamryth

Gamryth is by far the most promising of the Empire's current Protectorates. It is set on the banks of the Getheline River, on the very edge of the Târiquan desert. Although it has little in the way of goods itself, (its gold ran dry long ago), it has reinvented itself as the Gateway to Trall-Goth. What limited resources it has are devoted to providing goods and services for the many travelers that come through every year.

This arrangement was the idea of Kael Glorysword , a former general in Black Caradoc's band who grew tired of the slaughter that consumed his companions. When that notorious period in history was through, Kael took as his Champion's Portion the town of Fithwin Settlement, as well as all the land around it. The level headed and able warrior then shortened it's name, and turned his skills to domestic administration, proving that he was just as effective in generating revenue as he was in generating beheaded corpses.

Gamryth is also well known for its alliance with the Rock Lion tribe, who provide much of the kingdom's vaunted martial prowess. Part of Glorysword's plan for success included establishing a safe haven for those on the road, and it is unsurprising that Gamryth has one of the strongest military presences in the Lands.

Moora Tantaga

Moora Tantaga is the only Elvish settlement in all of the Bandit Kingdoms. It too is an Imperial Protectorate, and is secretly administered by members of the Elven Court in Torioth. The community developed almost out of necessity, as racial prejudice ran rampant among Tir Baran's powerful and plentiful half-orc/half-ogre population. The few Elves who were in the area soon discovered that only by banding together did they have a chance at surviving.

Things improved somewhat when Shadwith Miil and his Oi'Waen hunters joined the group. Their ferocity did much to dissuade the local toughs from bothering any more elves without provocation, and soon the population was growing. It expanded rapidly, and soon Moora Tantaga became a haven of sorts for demi-humans. Under the recent watchful eye of the Empire, the elves have begun expanding their "tolerance programs" into other communities.

Nam'Torgett

The current situation in the Protectorate of Nam'Torgett is perhaps one of the most exciting recent developments in the Empire's campaign to civilize the Tir. Situated as it is on the edge of the Swamp of Ormys, its people had fallen under the domination of the Stoneskulls. Their weak-willed king, Mighty Half-Orc Groolf , sent regular tithes of goods and victims to the vicious cannibals in exchange for his own life.

Thus was the stage set for a familiar tale, and young Devri Hramblin made a name for himself as a mighty battle leader when he lead the people in a revolt, throwing off the yoke of their evil king and the taxation of the barbarians. It is true that he had both magical and financial backing from the Empire, but that does not diminish the significance of what he accomplished. It should also be politely ignored that he relies on the permanent Imperial presence that has been established in Kora to keep the Stoneskulls at bay, and to keep him in power.

Rolfland

Rolf Tambinar bought himself a kingdom, more or less. He began his career as a trader, and soon became one of the most successful in the industry. He expanded his business portfolio, and soon had a restaurant established in every towns at which his caravans stopped. He expanded even further, and soon had a successful bodyguarding agency set up to assist groups making forays into Trall-Goth and the north.

At this point, Rolf had grown bored, and was seeking new challenges. One of his trail bosses mentioned that there was a kingdom in Tir Baran that was just on the edge of collapse. With the right kind of push in the right place, he said, an enterprising type could probably figure out how to "step in and lend a hand," so to speak.

So, Rolf paid his trail boss very well, marshaled his forces, and was ruler of his own small kingdom within 3 months. In the past 3 years he and his wife Ella have turned a formerly war torn stretch of coastline into a bustling, vibrant port city-state. Rolfland, although quite a bit smaller than many of the other sovereign states, and with a much lower population, is second only to Gamryth in terms of wealth and prosperity.

Torivale

Torivale lies on the northern edge of the Tir, and this Protectorate serves as the Empire's final staging point for trading missions to Allesh-Gilliam and Mellik. When the Empire first arrived, it was almost a ghost town, despite the rich deposits of iron ore that had recently been discovered nearby. Even with the potential for wealth, few were willing to live so exposed, out on the edged of the great Plains.

When Jessa Windspear and her band of Wallriders moved in, however, things changed. The Riders adapted their Deathwaste tactics to their new home, and soon the townsfolk did not fear the hordes to the north quite so much. People started to arrive, and soon the community was alive once again.

It is still rather small, as the location makes many feel uneasy, but that sense of danger has made Torivale a very tight knit community. It has also made a name for itself with its forged goods, as the metals they are discovering are of exceptional quality - so much in fact that a smithing contingent has recently been dispatched from Khezek Tor to investigate.