Lesser Nations
Return to Nations
Contents
Baenrl
The land of the Fire Giants. Under the faith of Sutyr, the giants have carved out a nation centered on the Desert’s Edge Mountains. They have conquered and enslaved the surrounding human settlements and are currently laying siege to the city of Jaswap. There are thousands of Fire Giants in Baenrl, and they follow the lead of the high priest of Sutyr and the current Warlord, who is crowned in trial by fire every five years. The Destroytian Republic and Thalmeret keep a close eye on Baenrl, as they have had wars with them in the past century.
The Barbarian Tribes of the Hills
The few remaining tribes of the hills live in constant threat of the Hill Giants. These tribes live in the two hill ranges on the eastern side of the main continent. They once lived throughout these hills and a hundred tribes roamed. Over the last millennium, the Kingdom of Yellowia has driven the Hill Giants deeper into the hills and away from their lands. The tribes are no match for hundreds of Hill Giants, and hence have been greatly diminished in size. The few tribes that have survived are nomadic. They move away roam away from wherever the giants are going to next. Their laws are brutal and their society is male dominated. They dislike and distrust outsiders, especially Yellowians and arcane spellcasters. They can be found in the worship of the simple deities, such as Habastly, Tyrogatore, and Dedestroyt.
The Barbarian Tribes of the North
The barbarian tribes of the north have fared far better than those on the main continent. The tribes that once inhabited Icefia have been brought into the Kingdom of Icefia. They are given full rights as citizens as long as they live by the kingdom’s laws, which most are happy to do. The tribes of the String Mountains have found a great ally in the Frozensky clan. The tribes trade with, learn from, and teach the dwarves. They share the lands south of the String Mountains in relative harmony. Like their southern cousins, the barbarians of the north worship the simple deities: Habastly, Treetop, and Tyrogatore. The tribes of the north are more trusting of outsiders, and do more trading. They are not nomadic.
The Halfling Communities
The Great Halfling Forest has long been home to hundreds of Halfling communities. Some are so small that no one even knows that they exist. Others are the home to a quarter of a million Halflings and other races. At times in the past, these communities have been united under one goal or flag, but more often than not, they stand as self-governed communities. Most communities are democratic, with special care being paid to elders. Two groupings of communities are still ruled by the Woodukes, the last remnants of the Halfling Kingdom from centuries past.
National Feat:Crafting Tradition
The Islander Tribes
The tribes of the Islanders are numerous. Nearly every island south of Ekarude has a different tribe of Islanders. The continent itself has four tribes. Horarian sailors estimate that over two hundred tribes exist. Some tribes are very insular and attack any ship that approaches. Other tribes have been conducting trade with Amatom, Layraedia, and occasionally other nations. The four tribes of the continent are the largest and most powerful. One of the tribes, the Nohskites, is known to have many necromancers. Other than the Nohskites, the other Islander tribes dislike divine magic. Most believe that using the deities in such a way weakens one’s inner power. Some Islander tribes have even gone as far as to adopt the beliefs of the Shaman as truth and look to them as spiritual leaders.
National Feat:Waterborn
The Kingdom of Frost
Thehome of the Frost Giants. They have ruled the mountaintops of the String Mountains for millennia. Once a kingdom, then ruled over by a warlord, and now a kingdom again. Their nation has little contact with any except Nomagrok, to whom they are allied, and the kingdom of the dwarves, whom are their enemies. They rarely venture far from the String Mountains.
Layraedia
When the cities of Ekarude initially declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Icefia, they were not prepared for the change. Famine and lawlessness plagued the cities on the northern shore of the continent for years after the declaration. It was not until the warrior Corbeen Redall defeated all who opposed his lone rule that the cities became safe again. By the end of his life, Corbeen realized that no one could replace his strong rule and keep the cities he now loved safe. He instituted a constitution and ordered the formation of a parliament to rule the cities. That system has been in place for fifty years. Corbeen also founded the Red Guard of Layraedia, the elite warriors in charge of protecting Layreadia.
National Feat: Weapon Master trained
Loahk (Land of a Hundred Kingdoms)
North of Hertoplowis, west of the jungles of the elves, and east of Intoria is a near thousand mile stretch of land known as Loahk. The hills of the giants and the Great Forest create its northern border. It is a land of temperate climate, of forests, plains, small rivers, and a large plateau. Although there are more humans than any other race, elves, Halflings, and lizardfolk also call Loahk home.
There is no contiguous history for Loahk. The land has seen so many rulers and wars that no one is quite sure how long it has been this way. Any histories that a ruler or his line would keep are lost or destroyed when another comes to power. The archives of other nations make mention of the place going back to the end of the Gnomish Empire in the 12th century BC. The name of the land comes from the fact that historians of other nations grew weary of having to alter their records and simply began to use a moniker that would cover all instances.
The land as it stands in the present day has nearly a million inhabitants split into at least fifteen different governing bodies. Some call themselves kings, dukes, emperors, governors, or whatever title strikes their fancy.
The inhabitants of Loahk are poor by the standards that might be set in Yellowia, Icefia, or on the Dedestroytian Peninsula. They have little technology, despite having been subjugated by the Tinkocracy during its reign. Wizards are far less common, as general education in the land is very poor. Sorcerers and those with noticeable innate talents are often taken by the rules to be used, exiled, or executed.
Many religions and cults are present, each looking for a foothold in a great market. There are even several small cults that appear no where else on Habololy except in Loahk.
