Western Xain

Capital: Cielharra

Ruler: Penquist Atmar, Duke

Government: Hereditary Limited Monarchy

Primary Race: Human

Primary Language: Ixish

Regional Bonus: Promised Land - Though by no means idyllic, the peace Western Xain has found is supported by strong and happy people who know the value in blood of every freedom they now enjoy, giving you a +2 racial bonus to Heal and Knowledge [Local].

Regional Feat:Bloody but Unbroken

Description

After generations of oppression, indenture, and incompetent rule, the people of Xain erupted into open revolt against their nobility.  It was a bloody conflict and long, but the final result was the rebels--led by a splinter group of the royal family itself--managed to liberate over a third of the country.  But they are living on borrowed time, for Xain has launched the Reconquest and already half of those rebellious provinces have been dragged back into the cruelty they had fought so hard to resist.  Of the two that remain, Western Xain is both the stronger and the most likely to be targeted next.

Western Xain is a country poor in farmland or most natural resources, but rich in mineral wealth.  Indeed, the veins of gold, iron, and mithril running through the mountains of the Shield of the World near the capital of Cielharra are thought to be second only to the mythical deposits of the lost dwarven city of Garand's Forge.  But as foreign powers face increasing threats and thePirate Lords harass maritime trade, it is harder and harder for the country to support its population, while the loss of able bodies in the Sunset War has made exploiting what advantages remain more difficult.

History

Deric Atmar is hailed as the father of Western Xain, a man who had everything as part of the ruling house of Xain.  He gave up the power and prestige of his position and spent much of his wealth financing, organizing, training, and finally deploying a vast network of freedom fighters who managed to shatter one of the most powerful nations in the world.  Though Deric died at Red Rock in the final battle of the war in AG 1207, his son Harnolt organized many of the refugees and veterans into the ruling structure of the country.

He himself was assassinated in AG 1239 and his son Roland Atmar ascended to the Throne of Wood.  Despite a history of bad harvests and increasing incursions by monsters and wild beasts, Western Xain has persevered through the decades, bolstered by the discover of thick veins of precious metals in the mines worked in and near the capital city, which provides them with the funds necessary to import grain from the Empire.  Roland passed peacefully in AG 1276, his adult son Penquist taking over in a time of unprecedented uncertainty.

Foreign Relations

Xain has begun attacking its break-away provinces in a series of military actions it has dubbed the Reconquest and Western Xain is its target, with military forces beginning to build up on the border.  The only other surviving free territory--Ofir--is too isolated to provide any sort of support save prayers that seem to go unanswered more often than not these days.  Relations with theEmpire of the Sun, meanwhile, have cooled considerably in recent years for reasons outside the control of either nation: the Pirate Lords have begun raiding most shinning through the Deep Blue while increases in monster activity coupled with a sharp decrease in population have reduced crop yields in the Empire to the point where little is being exported.  The source of almost half of Western Xain's food can no longer afford to send them all but a token of the grain shipments that used to flood their ports.