The World Of Khoras - Civilization - Nations

"Seven petty warlords locked in a ridiculous game of territorial disputes, political intrigue and double-crossings that has no end."
- Stuart Greshin, Duke of Sarakor, Rukemia

Description

Also known as the Valley of Tears, as this area has historically been the site of great battles. Now, this small nation is divided up into seven duchies. As a whole the area is ruled as a subordinate kingdom by the Empire. These seven duchies are loosely united under one flag, but only by the strength of the Empire. Old feuds and border conflicts still flare up. However, this region is beginning to discover its own sense of identity.

Geography

The War Vale is essentially one long river valley which runs several hundred kilometers south from the Falkir Clans down to Romler Bay. Flanking the river is a broad expanse of rolling hills dotted with small forests and lakes. Numerous towns and villages are sprinkled throughout this valley. The Sentinel Mountains border the War Vale on the west and these mountains can be seen from almost all of this region. The War Vale enjoys a warm, temperate climate, abundant rain fall and a good growing season. Excellent grasslands provide very good grazing in the south end of the valley while fertile fields abound in the north.

Notable Fauna and Flora

The War Vale is an old region and has been thoroughly domesticated like the empire. Livestock is important to the economy of the War Vale, most especially, horses, pigs and sheep. Larrin's fowl are bred here as well. Burrow hounds, sentinel scorpions and wolves all keep the local militias alert. The War Vale has some excellent vineyards and dozens of variant species of grapes and berries. Virgin herb can be found here in small quantities. The Ill Fate Orchid is exceptionally rare, but several have been found in the region of the War Vale.

History

Many small groups and villages in this region weathered the Sundering, the Great War and the conflicts which followed. The War Vale has been the sight of several major battles during the Age of Chaos, the Great War and the Duthelmian or Demon War. It was conquered by the Rukemian Empire by force and is now ruled as a subordinate nation.

Government

The War Vale has no central government. The valley is divided up into seven small duchies, each of which serve the empire individually, often competing for Imperial attention and funding. Each duchy covers a specific region and is home to the individual duke's castle and several small villages. Each duchy is self ruled as it sees fit but also has an imperial representative. These imperial officials collect taxes and report to the Empire. Minor border conflicts, petty squabbles and age old blood feuds often flair up between the dukes.

Legal System

The War Vale lacks a comprehensive "nation wide" legal system. Most conflicts are settled with armed confrontations. Occassionally, village elders or councils settled disagreements and solve crimes. Often the duke himself will step in to settle a matter. The Empire rarely intervenes. The duchies are usually left to resolve their own internal legal conflicts.

Military

No central military exists. However, the War Vale has a multitude of village militias and each duke maintains a small fighting force. While mobile and skilled, these groups are small and rarely do the military forces of different duchies cooperate.

Economy

The War Vale has a fragmented economy with each duchy specializing in its own specific product or service. Over generations, these family businesses have refined their methods and are now producing goods of real quality.

Culture

A tragic history has brought the villagers, craftsman and warriors of the War Vale closer together. The commoners living in this once-ravaged land share a strong sense of brotherhood. Taverns resound with battle songs and bards tell tales of war. War is not a way of life here, but it is an accepted part of history. During the past two centuries, the Valley of Tears has solidified into these seven duchies. Despite petty land disputes between the dukes, the people of the War Vale are beginning to find a sense of community.

The Duchy of Anthar

The duchy of Anthar is a peaceful group of dairy farms, cow herds and shepherds. As the northernmost duchy of the War Vale, Anthar is unofficially responsible for the safety of the lands in the north and defending the War Vale against Duthelmian incursions. For this reason, the villages of Arstakar, Hillfort and Horn maintain large militias. Iron Gate itself is a heavily fortified walled town with massive iron gates and a well-trained militia.

The noble duke of House Anthar, Duke Eduard Anthar, has three daughters. The eldest, Sara, was recently married off to Geoffrey, the eldest son of House Errlain. This was an arranged marriage and was hoped to end feuding between the two houses and to increase the status of House Anthar by associating with such a wealthy and respected duchy as House Errlain. However, Sara does not love Geoffrey and has endured a year of marriage with a vain and arrogant young man. She is, in fact, in love with the eldest son of the duchy of Kerraland and has been having an affair with him for several months. Recently, Sara found that she was with child (but was not sure whose it was) and ended the pregnancy by eating some Virgin Herb. Sara is quite distraught about the whole situation. Currently, she is biding her time and hopes to soon escape with her lover and flee to a distant land.

The Duchy of Cunnaway

The duchy of Cunnaway lies in the lowlands and its lands are home to pig farmers. Besides raising pigs, Cunnaway also brews their own ale, known as Cunnaway Stout. There exists a rivalry between Cunnaway Stout and the fine brandy produced by the duchy of Gaith. Duke Cunnaway is an enormously fat and jovial man who is father to a large family (six sons and four daughters). House Cunnaway is the poorest of the seven duchies and, because of this, a minor social rivalry exists between Cunnaway and Errlain. Once each year, Duke Cunnaway holds a grand outdoor feast at his small estate and invites hundreds from the local villages. Twenty five roast pigs are the main course of this celebration. Duke Cunnaway prepares his own specialty sauces which he unveils with great fanfare. (He fancies himself a connoisseur of fine food and is quite an accomplished cook). Many barrels of Cunnaway Stout are consumed along with the plates of steaming meat. During the celebration, Duke Cunnaway conducts the ritual washing of the feet in which the Duke gets down on hand and knee and washes the feet of seven commoners (chosen at random) with a bottle of Gaithian Brandy.

The Duchy of Errlain

The duchy of Errlain is the wealthiest of the seven duchies and the Errlain family are, in most respects, quite arrogant about their social standing. Errlain is the favored duchy of the Empire (or so they often claim). Once each year in the fall, the Errlain family holds an extravagant ball and invites the social elite from the War Vale duchies and the Empire. House Errlain acquired their family fortune from the mining of precious gemstones. (Their ancestral lands hold veins of fire agate and deposits of blood opals.) In truth, the gem mines that have fueled Errlain luxury for so long have been exhausted. The family coffers are being emptied and debts are beginning to mount. This has, of course, been kept within the family. Lies and creative "book keeping" have hidden this secret so far. House Errlain still plays at being rich and holds their yearly ball, but this is a facade. In desperation, the eldest Errlain son, Geoffrey, has been married off to the daughter of Duke Anthar. This was done in hopes of gaining additional funds (a lucrative dowry) and additional financial stability, although this was kept from House Anthar. In addition to the marriage, other plots have been hatched to save the family. Feuding between Errlain and Inbador has been a matter of historical fact. Recently, Errlain invaded an Inbador forest land and drove out the native Inbador villagers. Inbador, not having the resources to counter the attack, appealed to the Empire. Unfortunately, the Empire sided with Errlain. (Some bribery was undoubtedly involved). Errlain hoped to take advantage of the newly claimed forest land by logging and possible mining it. However, instead of finding veins of usable minerals, House Errlain discovered a large portion of ancient (possibly Pre-Sundering) ruins. Excavation has begun and several interesting artifacts have already been dug up. House Errlain hopes that the excavation of this site may help refill their coffers.

The Duchy of Gaith

The duchy of Gaith has much farmland including several large vineyards. Besides several good red wines, this duchy is famed for the distillation of Gaithian brandy, an exceptionally smooth and full-bodied brandy made from a blend of several Gaithian grape wines and spices. Gaithian brandy is considered by many to be the finest drink to be had. The Emperor himself is said to favor this delicacy (a fact of which House Gaith is extremely proud). House Gaith looks down upon House Cunnaway and holds them in contempt. The "washing of the feet" ceremony that Duke Cunnaway holds each year infuriates Duke Gaith to no end and some say that it is only a matter of time before Duke Gaith carries out his revenge.

The Duchy of Inbador

The family of Morgain Inbador is said to have some elvish blood and this may well be true as the people of this duchy have slim builds and beautiful faces. The duchy of Inbador is a land of woodsmen. However, rather than simply clearcut whole stretches of land, they thin the forests gradually and always plant four saplings for each mature tree they cut down. House Inbador is very bitter about the loss of a large stretch of their forest lands, more so than House Errlain realizes. Inbador has lost not just a beautiful forest, but a tract of what they consider their ancestral home. The duchy of Errlain will strip the forests and rape the land with their mining and Duke Inbador knows this. He is desperate to reclaim his forested valley, but does not have the strength for a direct confrontation with Errlain. House Errlain does not yet know it, but they have unwittingly reignited a blood feud with House Inbador and Inbador is seeking a powerful ally who can aid them.

The Duchy of Kerraland

The duchy of Kerraland is an area of grassy rolling foothills and home to a family of horse ranchers who have been carefully breeding the best steeds for many generations. It is in this duchy that the Kerran breed is raised, considered the finest breed of horse in all the east. The eldest Kerran son, Michael, is having a passionate love affair with Sara, eldest daughter of House Anthar. Michael, who loves Sara very much and does not wish to stay on his family's land, plans on running away with Sara to the distant west. So far, the affair has remained secret, but the two have taken dangerous chances with messengered letters and wilderness rendezvous. While his son romances another duke's daughter, Duke Kerran is involved in a dispute with the duchy of Morrow regarding grazing rights of certain grasslands which border between the two duchies.

The Duchy of Morrow

The duchy of Morrow is a land of sheep herders. House Morrow raises sheep, harvests the wool and makes a number of fine garments. Some is traded to the empire. The family estate is in the southern foothills bordering the Pacey river. House Morrow rules several tiny villages that tend the large flocks of sheep. Morrow is currently involved in a bitter dispute of grazing rights on certain lands that border between House Morrow and House Kerraland.

This page last updated Monday, October 08, 2007. Copyright 1990-2008 David M. Roomes.

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