[[:Template:Eastern Realms]]
Eastern Realms
| Regional Information | |
| Population | 6,238,793 (50% Human, 25% Rhakas, 20% Kanus, 2% Ta' Jahu, 3% Other) |
|---|---|
| Borders | Northern Realms, Southern Realms, Baronies of Vishraan, Veheem: The Western Reach, Sea of Magnara, Dhunadin Sea |
| Major Religions | Gishra, Mala |
| Highest Point | Mount Kalish 16,850 feet |
| Longest River | Flowing Road 2,750 miles |
| Largest Lake | Kumbra, 1,025 sq miles |
| Climate | Temperate to Desert |
| Terrain | Mountains, High Plateaus, Grassy Steppe, Desert Plains, Desert |
| Natural Resources | Amber, Coal, Iron Ore, Silver Ore, Stone, Textiles, Timber |
| Natural Hazards | Grassland and forest fires, damaging floods and harsh storms; Desert Storms, Dust Storms |
Alanu’da tang’ji yal nagha! Aribu kwaya chawiwa irdi yal Riki’sha Aneo.*
*actual translation is: Greetings traveler of the west! Welcome to the enchanted lands of the Eastern Realms
My beggings, please, mine common is not so good. Let me say over “Hellos wanderer of the west! Welcome to the chanted lands of Eastern Realms”, yes, yes, that is much betterer. Call me Gháshish Ait-Khaga, which in my words means “I am son of Khaga”. I am a koyote Kanus of the pakyti, many sorries, of the pack Khaguris, of the western valley of the Urith Dal Mountains in Zak-Cha. I am wanderer to, on a grand adventurer to anywhere my dust lust takes me. Come sit and eat my sharing of food while we wait for the caravan to move on. Let me tell you the tales of my travels so far. I have traveled for many, many suns from the Spring Dawning to the Feast of Ice, my dust lust has driven me very far from my pakyti and have seen much. A bigger world exists beyond my home mountains! One that I wish to hiriki, um to share, with you.
The Eastern Realms is a region of duality. Its southern half is stricken with dry lands, sand desert, salt flats, rocky uplands, rugged mountains, dead volcanoes and desolate valleys. Its northern half are lavish rolling fields of tall, green grasses, low running rivers and streams, pastoral hills, and abundant forest. These two worlds are separated by the deep and wide river called the Flowing Road or Pultharista. On one side there is desolation, sand and heat, on the other greenery, cool winds and lush vegetation.
The Flowing Road not only divides the realm in two, it also divides that realms largest forest in two. Spanning from Zak-Cha to the shores of the Sea of Tarn stands the great Forest of Nahzru.
The Eastern Realms home to the kingdoms of: the Barony of Michan, the Kingdom of Nazhryn, Rhakas nations of Garu-Zak, Azthak and Kal-Jurik, the Kingdom of Sadhaka and the City-State of Pash Tar.
Depending from which direction you come into the Eastern Realms you are either faced with the great southern deserts or the lush green of the north. It has been inhabited by my people since time immortal, though we prefer the mountains, many pakyti have made their homes in the deserts and the green fields of the Eastern Shire beyond the Kingdom of Nazhryn.
Since there is so much to see, and so much to tell, I will begin by telling of what makes up the Eastern Realms. There are three major mountain ranges that help travelers know where they are: Southern Rim of the Baligrog Mountains, the high Urith Dal Mountains, which is where my pakyti roams, and the low rising Greca Nor Mountains to the south, which stop the sands of the Great Desert from moving north.
The Eastern Realms are border to the north by the Baligrog Mountains and the Baronies of Vishraan, to the east and south by the blue-green waters Sea of Tarn and the Vaheem: The Western Reach, to the west by the Sea of Magnara, Narafu - The Great Desert, and the plains of the Great Dale where the Kingdom of Sadhaka sits.
Ah, the Eastern Realms are truly skuzuri (beautiful) and chawida (enchanting) and are able to seduce one so that kauda kar aki (could lose their minds) and end up wandering with dust lust.
There is a network of trade routes that connect much of the region to one another, but there is only one great road that leads out of the Eastern Realms towards the Great Sapphire of the Southern Realms. It is called the Grey Corridor as it weaves its way from the Barony of Michan through Kal-Jurik along the shores of the Sea of Tarn to the outlet waters of the Flowing Road, it then picks up where the Flowing Road divides into its main channel running down from the Urith Dal Mountains and its little sister the Dhal River that seeps its way out from deep underground. It follows this smaller river to its head waters and then continues to the Pass of Ghal Tyn in the foothills of the Baligrog Mountains, then makes its way through the Kingdom of Sadhaka to pass through the small Rhakas nation of Baztha and arriving in Dardura Sheva where it is called the Sunrise Road.
The ashara jia (trade routes) spread across the lands like a spiders web without a center. There paths, roads and trails that seem to lead to every village, town and the few cities in the region. The great number of these routes is to ensure that trade merchants and patrols can either avoid the numerous bandits that hunt these paths, the monsters or to be able to quickly arrive to a location when they are needed. Very rarely will you find beings traveling alone in the east, most travel in large caravans to dissuade the various monsters that stalk through the wild.
The khunia (ecosystems, environment or world) that makes up the Eastern Realms is undoubtedly two different worlds, unlike the khunia of the West and North where there is a slow transition from a temperate region to a sub-arctic to an arctic region that can take place over hundreds of miles and kusa'ji (travelers) have some time to easily transition for winters, cold weather, heavy snows and thick rains. Kusa'ji to the Eastern Realms do not have this luxury.
There are four regions of khunia that the Eastern Realms experiences. The Urith Dal Mountains in Zak-Cha has several snowcapped peaks. Its north-western slopes receive rain and support high meadows of alpine flowers and grasses, dense thickets of shrub, forests of cedar and pine, and trees such as cypress and olive. Its south-eastern slopes are dry with desert vegetation such as date palms and halfah grass. Unique alpine khunia exist above the tree line in the Urith Dal Mountains where the temperature has been described as “summer every day, winter every night.” Below this the are various types of trees, particularly the juhn tree and bamboo. Numerous animals are native to the mountains, including mountain gorillas, monkeys, elephants, buffaloes, and rodents. The region north and west of the Flowing Road sits on a plateau that rises from the shores of the river towards the Baligrog Mountains, a rise of nearly 5,000 feet.
As one travels along the shore of the seas, there is almost no rain, but cold water currents offshore make the region humid and foggy. This is true even along the Eastern Shire Shores.
The Forest of Nahzru, which occupies one-quarter of the realm and spreads out from the Flowing River. One-half of the forest that sits along the north-eastern side of the river are semi-tropical with thick, high-branched trees that give way to savanna woodland. The open spacing lets numerous bushes, and other tall grasses to grow and make for great hiding spots both by prey and predators alike.
Quickly after this as you move southwest the savanna grasslands turn towards semi-desert and desert. The first five hundred or so miles the region moves quickly from a savanna to a steppe where it is typically hot, sunny, dry and somewhat windy all year long. It is mostly covered in grassland and savanna, with very small areas of woodland and shrubland that beasts monsters and travelers use to escape the high heat of midday. Grass cover is fairly continuous across the region.
Much of the ground changes quickly between semi-arid grasslands, savannas, steppes, and thorn shrublands lying between the wooded Forest of Nahzru and the Sledurr Desert.
The Sledurr Desert extends from the shrub land, just south of the Forest of Nahzru, to the southwest until it reaches the mountains of Greca Nor. Much of the desert is not dunes, it is a region of stationary high rising dunes, combined with an expanse of dry, rocky plains, which is well known for its numerous scattered and colorful lakes and interspersed with smaller moving dunes. The dunes are also well known for what has been called the Whistling, rare occasion through out these dunes that a sharp, loud booming noise that often lasts several minutes.
If it was not for the several megadunes and high barren hills, collectively called the Shield Wall, at the edge of the Sledurr Desert the sands would have taken over the Nahzru and turn the entire Eastern Realms into a vast desert ocean. The middle and lower layers of the highest dunes have been compacted for more than 20,000 years causing the sand particles to harden resulting in solid layers of sand and sandstone.
The temperatures in this region range from low 70’s to highs over 130 degrees in the desert. The evening and night temperatures rarely get below 35 to 70 degrees, which mostly occurs near the shoreline of the Sea of Tarn.
Most of the Sledurr Desert is empty of traditionally normal life, the shifting sands do not allow for any permanent buildings, the occasional sandstorms bury encampments, winter storms flood the hollows sweeping away any remnants of life and burying it under a thick layer of sand. The southern region of the desert is known for its numerous high plateaus that are buffeted by the sands. Sages think that this whole region of dune sand is a result of the sandstone that is blown off the sides of these plateaus.
It is a good thing that the Vas Kapocs (gods) made the desert, their work has proven to be useful to protect the world from the vile cruelty of Pash Tar, the Kingdom of Azahak. Surrounded by the sea, the desert and high red monadnock ridges, the gods have seen fit to keep the evil powers of that place contained. There are no roads or trails that lead to that vile city, but one called the Road of Tears, it is a haunted road that has been dug out and built with thick, granite stones that disappears into the Sledurr Desert. Why it ends in the center of the desert is beyond imagining, my malak (friend). Though it is thought that it actually disappears beneath the sands, through a hidden gateway that can be opened by the priests of Azahak.
Kal-Jurik and Azthak are newly created states of the Rhakas when you compare them to the nation of Kanus and the Kingdom of Nazhryn. They were formed as a result of their defeat when they rose against the Barony of Michan. Backed by Pish Tar in an effort to destroy the Barony and the southern Knights of Elal, they were defeated by a large army of Acries that rose out of the western deserts.
Many think that the Rhakas leaders and conquerers are like children trying to find their way in the world, they are loud, impetuous, often flailing about the world in an attempt to find out who they are as a people. It is because of this they are often fighting battles that they do not need to, Ta Los is a huge place and there is room for many.
The Eastern Realms is not an evil place, though its land does lend itself to those with nefarious and dark intentions, as though the vile gods have cursed the Eastern Realms.
While Zak-Cha is a proud nation filled with great people, I would not say that it is a bright spot in these Realms that belongs to both the Barony of Michan and the Kingdom of Sadhaka. Sadhaka was founded by a knight of Elal, and the Barony of Michan was founded by a crusader that escaped the iron fist of Pash Tar. One was founded to fight against the evil of Pash Tar and the other to bring justice to the east. Both have proven vital to the survival of all the good folk that call the east home.
Traveling through the east is not as simple as getting a horse or a camel and going from where you are to where you want to be.
As I have stated before there are many dangers that await the untested traveler, even the great caravans that move from village to town to city. The most common attack are raids by the local population known as Bejarg Tribes, which are mostly made up of dejah humans that have made the outer bands of the Sledurr Desert their homes. As people of the desert, they survive by raiding the caravans as well as each other. Unlike, the barbarous acts that raiders of the north do, the Tribes have a sense of honor and tradition that they follow.
Raids are conducted most often in the early mornings just before the break of dawn, death to those that they raid is not a goal, they raid to acquire goods and supplies. The successful theft of livestock in these raids, is considered a mark of brave and honorable person. Most of the caravans prepare for this and often will carry a "raid wagon" where they keep some of their goods, donations from all those in the caravan. This wagon is often marked and left just outside of the caravan camp, in hopes that raiders will accept it instead of raiding the camp.
The Bejarg code of honor demands that women who do not partake in the fighting against the raid cannot be touched and must be left alone. This includes if they are in their tents as well as anything that she wears on her person. The Berjag find it dishonorable for them to harm them in any manner.
North of the Flowing Road things greatly change, and not just the khunia changing. Beyond the forest is a sea of grass, rolling hills and deep crevasses that make up entirety of the Kingdom of Nazhryn and the Eastern Shire.
This region is anything but flat. With the rolling hills and the high grass its rare to see more than a half a mile with no interference. This makes traveling through very difficult for you never know if you will fall into a crevasses, run into a very unpleasant party, or come upon a beast and its meal. Though Mount Qoloa can be seen from nearly everywhere in the region. Its gray-green sides reflect in the sun and is used by every being as a point of reference when traveling through the region.
Those not under the control of the Nhabav (sorcerers) of Nazhryn are known as the Nomadic Tribes. They are referred to as the Mhentilik, and are of dejah bloodline. They are numerous and very diverse in traditions. Many simply roam throughout the land, living out their days herding or hunting. Others are known to travel between the various small villages trading with them on seasonal cycles.
Ahh, yes the caravan is getting ready to move onward, let us gather our things, and sit on that wagon. I will tell you the stories of the time between the fall of the Az-kabin and the coming of the Nhabav as well as how my pakyti held against the onslaught of mountain Kendoj. You are in for some grand tales indeed my malak.
The Best of the Eastern Realms
Exploring the Eastern Realms is not without risk, there are dangers in the dunes and in the thick grasses of the Eastern Shire. Here are the top important locations for the Eastern Realms:
- Miltago Boulders: Located near the borders of Garu-Zak and Nazhryn is a super flat region. The ground sinks here to match sea level and is filled with huge circles of perfectly round boulders that are as large as 15’ in diameter. Each circle has between 10 and 20 of these boulders. Each of the boulders is aligned with various stars and constellations. It has been said that standing in the center of one of the rings at a specific time grants them a single wish.
- Mount Qoloa: Situated north of the city of Kharus rises the Mount Qoloa like a giant thumb. The mount has long resisted magical powers as well as dampens or completely stop aradagh. It is filled hundreds of caves, some explorers that have visited the mount have never returned. Rumor has it there is a gigantic motherlode of gold within the mount, others state that the caves lead to portals to the various locations in the Celestial Realms of Neter-Kheret.
- The Vrou Walu: Centered in the Sledurr Desert is the Vrou Walu, or Black Mounds. So called because that there is a layer of black powder and rocks that covers the summits of these mounds, which can reach over 200 feet in height. The powder and rocks drapes the mounds like a blanket draping down the sides. The mounds are highly reflective and is especially so during a full moon. The whole region is utterly empty of life, but those few that have dared to travel to the area have returned unable to speak and crazed.
- Inthal Tower: Situated on the shores of the Sea of Magnara, where the southwestern portion of the Urith Dal Mountains ends stands an ancient, gigantic tower. A left over from the Kishian Empire, this 100' diameter, 500 foot tall tower is built from a type of red stone and is topped by . It has no windows, and no door to enter by. It once belonged to a powerful spellcaster during the age of the Kishian Empire. It stands as relic to that ancient empire and rumors hold that it has become a prison for some ancient evil.
Coins of the East
| Nation | Red Steel | Gold | Silver | Copper | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barony of Michan | High Crown | Noble | Castle | Bright | Common |
| Baronies of Vishraan | Magi | Victor | Mark | Fex | Token |
| Garu-Zak | Dragon | Wyrm | Hydra | Viper | Knuckle |
| Kingdom of Nazhryn | Emperor | Crown | Baron | Malu | Myr |
| Kingdom of Sadhaka | Sun | Moon | Star | Penny | Bit |
| Lathia | Plate | Orb | Shield | Bell | Shelly |
| Pash Tar | Highmark | Mark | Halfmark | Lowmark | Penning |
| Zak-cha | Kundu | Shabu | Fedu | Shaba | Shabi |
- The everyday currency of the Eastern Realms consists of many coins and trade bars. The standard currency through out the Northern and most of Ta Los are red steel, gold, silver, copper and bronze pieces of equal value through out the Northern Realms.
- Currency exchange rates within each Nation of the Southern Realms can vary from -75% to +25% of standard value, depending on current mercantile situations and success of mining.
Politics of the West
The Eastern Realms are made up of some of the oldest nations or realms in Ta Los, though they were only officially recognized towards the end of the Age of Kingdoms. The human realms are made up of the first ancient dejah people and are built on the ruins and remnants of the Kishan Empire. The Eastern Realms also include a number of human tribes and clans that claim the Sea of Grass, the Great Dale and the Sledurr Desert, who have been a part of the landscape since humans first set foot into these regions.
It is divided into six official states: Barony of Michan, Kingdom of Nazhryn, Kingdom of Sadhaka, Pash Tar, Garu-Zak, Zak-Cha. There are an additional five realms that teeter on the edge of becoming a full fledged nations though there is a long road ahead for them: Azthak, Kiragh-Nhaig, Bejarg Tribes, the Mhentilik Nomads, and the Goliskt Tribes. Though the Bejarg, Goliskt and Mhentilik tribes are, collectively each is considered a regional state, self governed and responsible for their actions as a "nation" and are treated as such.
The Eastern Realms are politically unstable, while there is always a push towards peace through out all regions, the is a result of the distrust between the northern nations of the Eastern Realms: Sadhaka, Garu-Zak and Nazhryn. This is furthered by tensions between Pash Tar, and its association with the priests of Azahak, the Barony of Michan, and its fight for greater freedom and justice, and the chaos that the newer rebel Rhakas nations of Azthax and Kiragh-Nhaig.
Kingdom of Sadhaka
The Kingdom of Sadhaka, is perhaps the most politically sound. It is well governed, with the people its major focus. Most of its population is centered in its three major cities but is dotted with numerous towns, which are mostly situated west of Hurkah in order to avoid any battles or raids by the Rhakas of Garu-Zak. It has good relations with the Kanus of Zak-Cha and has well established relations with the tribes of the Great Dale as it is the thoroughfare for trade between it and the rest of the world beyond the shores of the Sea of Dhunadin. Its relation with Garu-Zak is incredibly strained, often with skirmishes occur on a near weekly basis. What originated in history as raids, it has grown into a tense situation that can boil over to full blown war. Officially, Garu-Zak has moved towards attempting peace negations with Sadhaka, however, there are groups and individuals within the Rhakas nation that do not believe this is acceptable. They feel that it is dishonorable to be the "cowering" peace-seekers. These groups often lead large scaled (1500 to 2000 individuals) skirmish attacks both against the Wall of Hadak and well within the lands of Sadhaka.
Kingdom of Nazhryn
The Kingdom of Nazhryn was once a true kingdom, it was ruled originally by a creature known only as the Shadow Lord that rose to power in 2,200 B.F.A. and ruled until 1,500 B.F.A. where it was defeated by four spellcasters who then divided the kingdom into four dominions. They have since ruled as immortals some corrupt and vile, others concerned about the welfare of those they rule and concerned about the darkness that the region has fallen into. Politically, Nazhryn is utterly unstable. While each of the Nhabav rule their selective dominion with absolute authority, they all view the others as the enemies that they are. While not overtly waging war, though there have been times two of the Nhabav have attempted to wrest control of another's dominion out of their hands, the Nhabav certainly attempt to gain control over others dominions through assassination attempts, magical interference or outright stirring up rebellions (which are often cruelly and quickly put down) within the main cities.
Looking outward each of the dominions has differing relationships with its neighbors. The most stable and politically open dominion is Dakarai and has strong ties with Zak-Cha and the Mhentilik Nomads. Fortunately it is the furthest dominion from the other three. The other three dominions view it as prime territory of which to take control of, however, both its distance and the fact that the other three dominions are closer together, has prevented direct assault on it. Though it is often the target of magical intervention and assassination attempts.
The dominion ruled by Ahng Cree from the city of Igabalic sits just south of Garu-Zak and has long proven to be less than friendly to the Rhakas, often stealing groups of them in the dark to become slaves within Igabalic itself. The magical threat that Ahng presents to Garu-Zak has kept it mostly at bay from simply running the city over with an invading force. It is well known that Ahng is in league with the goddess Mala and her fiends.
The dominion of Tyrith is more neutral in its outlook, though it does look for weakness in the other dominions it is not as aggressive as Igabalic or Kharus is towards the Mhentilik Nomads or the other dominions. Situated hundreds of miles from Igabalic it has less to worry about. Its greatest threat comes from Kharus and the Red Lord. But this is tempered by the fact that Rydel Kur is a servant of the Lord of Death, Azahak and have be known to summon forth collectives of fiends, demons and devils. Tyrith is often in league with Pash Tar and its priests of Azahak.
Finally, the dominion ruled by Kharus and the Red Lord is the only other dominion to proactively engaged in evil. It is well known that the Red Lord consorts with demons and fiends as well powerful undead through out the region and other dimensions. Slavery and slave trade is very much alive and highly lucrative business as it works to bring in new and other worldly beings to serve as slaves of all types and to all persuasions. Sitting as it does in the center of Nazhryn it is a threat to the entire Sea of Grass and all those that prefer freedom over slavery.
Barony of Michan
The Barony of Michan having risen out of battle and war against Pash Tar as much as against Azhtax, Michan is considered one of the Eastern Realms most stabilizing force, particularly in its southern regions of the Realms, where it is a powerful force for good and works tirelessly to keep the powers of Azahak and Pash Tar in check as well as attempting to form alliance with Azthax. It is a beacon of hope for those that are enslaved by Pash Tar. It plays a starring role in the protection of the southern half of the Eastern Realms along with the Acries lands of Cha-Nilak against the dark forces that seem to dominate the east. It is often thought of as the "little Solthania" as it works to bring a sense of justice and relief to the Eastern Realms south of the Shield Wall. It is seen by the free people of the east as a bulwark against the rise of demonic led hordes of howling, foul monsters that seem to pushing at the seams of the desert mountains and Sledurr.
Pash Tar
Pash Tar is unique in Ta Los as it is the only openly active state with a singular religion of an evil deity: Azahak. It was founded by several priests of Azahak and a self-proclaimed new Primarch of Azahak: Tyon Clyrie (which conflicts with the head church in the Duchy of Mashrapur; a fact that seems to please Azahak). To the sages of the world, the existence, and its continued existence is mind boggling. The majority of the populace are slaves owned and controlled by the various noble-barons and the church of Azahak: the Courts of Decay. Originally, they were varying tribes that lived in the peninsula region. Since the coming of the Courts of Decay, the region quickly fell in corruption and darkness, spurred on by the worship of the Death Bringer. The take over was not instant it took several centuries of manipulation of the tribes, maneuvering one tribe against another, while helping other tribes absorb tribes and feeding lies to the people and granting the chiefs of specific tribes nobility. Since its inception, the priests of Azahak have proven cunning and always seem to be a step ahead of those that would destroy the state. It is wholly evil in its existence. It has no allies, at least in the Eastern Realms, or in this dimension or above Tav Aeduhn. It works with corrupt nations in other dimensions, on other worlds and in other regions in Ta Los and on Kralis; it fuels dark and vile organizations and pursues a course of destruction that seeps into the minds of the witless, the foolish and the weak-willed that keep the church alive. It sits in alone with no true allies, its armies are made up of slave-warriors that are dominated and mind controlled, along side created undead things (zombies, ghouls and worse) all of which are led by summoned demon commanders and fiend overlords.
Garu-Zak
Garu-Zak like many other Rhakas nations through out the world, are viewed with a sense of wonder. Mostly because the Rhakas have only recently begun to become nations. But Garu-Zak is called the Motherland of all Rhakas and has existed for thousands of years as rival tribes until they were united by Nava Ahsih and the Kingdom of Garu-Zak was unified. Since its defeat at the hands of the rallied militias of Sadhaka in 452 B.F.A. Garu-Zak has moved towards becoming the first Rhakas nation to be allied with the great powers of Ta Los. However, their sense of honor and the strictness to which they tend to hold onto has often gotten in the way of this. It is currently working towards stalemating with the dominion of Igabalic and its slavery trade and the horrific power of magic that it weilds, while negotiating with Sadhaka to come to some resolution of peace and unity, something that has been occurring for nearly the past 500 years. It has good standing relations with the various tribes and clans Zak-Cha and hopes that through this peace they can gain the trust of Sadhaka. They are weary of Nazhryn, but have good relations with the Mhentilik. They are often involved in battles and wars with monsters and other creatures that somehow make their way out of the Accursed Lands.
Zak-Cha
Politically, Zak-Cha is a collection of species tribes and clans rather than a full fledge nation led by a single leader but adhere to their specific creed of honor and individual clan laws. Each of the various tribes and clans has differing relations with Sadhaka, Garu-Zak, Pash Tar and the tribes of Mhentilik. In some cases they are viewed with caution, in others with open arms, but in all cases Zak-Cha is treated with reserve as their honor concepts can easily be offended.
Azthax and Kiragh-Nhaig
As political powers go both Azthax and Kiragh-Nhaig are incredibly new nations, and still have a lot of growth to do. Both are rebel nations in the eyes of the other Rhakas nations, and Kiragh-Nhaig is more a large gathering tribes than an actual nation with great power as it exists in one of the harshest places in Ta Los, the Sledurr Desert. Azthax is more dangerous but is weakened by the presence of Pash Tar to the north of it. Its attempt to gain control over Michan to the south was disastrous and it has been reeling from that defeat for many centuries. In both cases each are looking to grow into powerful nations, they view each other with suspicion, often causing some serious problems for each other as well as the other regions and groups around them.
Tribes of the East
Politically, the various tribes of the Eastern Realms are very powerful politically in their specific regions. They control the vast majority of the trade ways and roads that exist through out the Realms as well as those that enter and exit the regions. They can hamper or help the mercantiles of the entire Realm, but this also can put them at odds with the mercantiles and the nations that they represent. They are also often at each others throats for some slight or another, this internal conflict can be used against them, but it also lends to the fact that these areas are not easily controlled. Most of the tribes adhere to ancient laws, philosophies and rigid structures of honor; though despite this they continue to support their individual tribes by means of raiding. These raids are very short, though occasionally smaller renegade raids lead by a young individuals are known to venture deep into regions avoiding the patrols that are hunting them for many months until they are either caught, killed or flee back into their homelands.
Predominately, these tribes and clans adhere to treaties that can change on a whim because one or more tribes have had their honor insulted, offended or attacked by another. These treaties are often formalized with marriages or royal hostages are taken in order to prove loyalty.
