So after perusing the new material from the OKW and comparing to some stuff I had already worked, I've decided to make some changes to my version of mystara. A lot of this I already decided but haven't shown anyone, and some stuff is new. First a map: or maybe not, its taking a bit longer than I thought, maybe another post.
The Doulakki
The beginning of time starts with The Great Rain of Fire which nearly destroyed humanity. Out of the ashes emerged the people of Taymora with their great city of Taymoraz. The Taymora people built many great cities and mastered bronze, waging war on those without this technology. The Taymora were scattered and destroyed in The Great Cataclysm, a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions which broke apart the land and sunk much of taymora into the sea. The people that survived became the Doulakki, a people who are bound together by a mutual heritage and shared many cultural traits though they differ in many social practices and government from place to place. The Doulakki became a great seafaring people and shrewd merchants, dominating the sea of dread and the surrounding islands. When the Thang Empire rose to power the Doulakki were a vital part of it, both culturally and militarily, being the best sailors in the empire. After the fall of the Thang Empire, a Doulakki empire rose in the vacuum spearheaded by the great city of Thyatis which has dominated the sea of dread fro the last few hundred years.
Cultural Analog: The Greeks
Domains: Grand Duchy of Karameikos (Ducal Lands), Kingdom of Ierendi, Minrothad Guilds, Grand Duchy of Terentias, Duchy of Machetos, Duchy of Thyatis, County of Lucinius, County of Hattius, Duchy of Mositius, Protectorate of Borydos, Protectorate of Sclaras, County of Actius, Protectorate of Carytion, Duchy of Retebius, Duchy of Kantrium, Kingdom of Alasiya, City of Ctesiphon, City of Tameronikas, Barony of Biazzan, Duchy of Tel Akbir
The Thasians
After the Great Cataclysm many Taymorans migrated north far from the sea, being fearful it would swallowing up the land. They drove out the local inhabitants of the land and eventually settled int he Streel River basin. From here they founded many great cities and formed a mighty republic which contended with the other great power of the age, the Nithian Empire. The Thang Republic became the Thang Empire after the defeat of their long rivals and the empire stretched its domain across the sea and land. After many centuries of power the Thang empire succumbed to internal divisions, revolts of subject peoples, and barbarian invasions. For a short time the barbarians ruled the Thang empire, but this soon collapsed and each Thasian city became its own petty kingdom. Over time a new religion took hold of the Thasian people, and the Patriarchs of this Church began to wield equal or more power than the Kings. Through force and coercion the patriarch of Darokin began to dominate the other partiarchs and a new Holy Empire was formed. In the short life of this new empire it has expanded rapidly, subjugating the Kingdom of Alasiya, the traldar Kings, the isles in the sea of dread, the empire of thyatis, and pushing into the territory of the barbarians.
Cultural Analog: The Italians
Domains: City of Darokin, City of Akorros, City of Akesoli, City of Athenos, City of Specularum, Barony of Kelven, Barony of Vorloi, Patriarchate of Threshold, Estate of Penhaligon, Estate of Dmitrov, Estate of Marilenev, Estate of Sulscu, Estate of Vandevicsny, Estate of Rugalov
The Gwynish
Following the Great Rain of Fire, sea levels were much lower allowing a land bridge to form between the Isle of Dawn and the current Northern Reaches. At the same time as the Taymora were rising in the south by the sea, many of the ancient Dunhalian people native to the Isle of Dawn migrated across the land bridge and settled the four countries which they named Gorllewin(Glantri), Canolbarth, Carnuilh(current day Ethengar), and Dwyrain(the northern reaches). The great kings of Corunglain ruled over the canolbarth plains(before the elves arrived) and contended with giants of Grondheim while Taymora was at its height. Following the Great Cataclysm the Kings of Corunglain waned in power and were conquered by either the Thang Republic in the south and the Nithian Empire in the east. During the fall of the Thang Empire, the Gwynish territories revolted and formed a shortlived Carnuilh Empire with Corunglain as the capitol. This zenith was shortlived however, as the same barbarians that toppled the Thang empire also toppled the Carnuilh Empire and killed or drove off the Carnuilh people claiming the land as their own. The only remnants of the once great Gwynish people survive in the lands around the Canobarth forest desired neither by the Elves or the Thasians, in the mountain country of rockhome tolerated by the mountain gnomes, and in the highlands of Gorllewin where petty kings and princes rule and fight each other for minor causes, oblivious to the outside world.
Cultural Analog: The Welsh(Gorllewin), The Britons(Canolbarth and Dwyrain)
Domains: Kingdoms of Gorllewin, City of Corunglain, City of Llyntref, Canolbarth Highlands, Klintest Lowlands, Stahl Lowlands
The Iasuli
During the time of ancient Taymora, the ancestors of these people were enslaved by Mogreth, an empire of the greatest evil. After the Great Cataclysm the people built the great city of Nithus; the people of Nithus were the first to discover the secrets of Iron. Nithus quickly rose to power enslaving many of the Doulakki of Ierendi and Minrothad, and establishing colonies far and wide over the great seas. Many natives of the southern continent were enslaved by the Nithians; over time the Nithians intermingled with and came to adopt the culture of these these enslaved people. At the peak of their influence the emperors of Nithia turned to the worship of dark demons which urged Nithia on a path of conquest. Yet the Nithian Empire was challenged by the republic of Thanegioth. When the Nithians turned their back on their sacred Immortals, their doom was sealed; with the blessing of the Immortals the Thanegioth Republic triumphed and completely destroyed Nithia. Legends of the city of Nithus and its empire is lost to the sands of the desert and the mists of time. The remnants, the Iasuli tribes were first subjugated by the Thang Empire, and then the Kingdom of Alasiya, and then the Empire of Thyatis and the Heldann Jarls. It wasn't until the great leader Masinissa Amzizrt united the Iasuli tribes that they were able to throw off the yoke of oppression and free themselves of all outsiders. Masinissa established the Kingdom of Ylaraum which has only grown in power and wealth under the rulership of his successors.
Cultural Analog: The ancient Berbers/Tamazight of Libya and Numidia
Domains: Kingdom of Ylaruam, Barony of Biazzan, Duchy of Tel Akbir, Kingdom of Thothia, Kingdom of Ierendi, Minrothad Guilds
The Ethengar
For ages after the Great Rain of Fire these people roamed the great plains of the continent to the west of the known world. A great chief by the name of eastwind envied the wealth of the Thang empire, and seeing the weakness of its leaders, led a great invasion and completely destroyed the legions of the empire in the battle of Ariton Vale. Eastwind had himself crowned the Thang Emperor. His legacy did not last long however, within a century the Thasians overthrew his weak successors and the empire split into fractured kingdoms and city-states. Despite the fall of the eastwind dynasty many Ethengar people remained in the plains and grasslands of the known world. For a time the Kingdom of Alasiya was ruled by Ethengar kings. Most of the present day people of Ethengar dwell in the ancient country of the Carnuilh.
Cultural Analog: The Mongols
Domains: Ethengar Khanates, Makistani Khanate, Krondahar Khanate, Kingdom of Alasiya, City of Akesoli
The Goths
While Eastwind was fighting the Thang Empire in the west, The Gothic people of the northern mountains and forests descended on the the old country of Dwyrain. The old Gwnish people, long subject to the Empire, called for aid and received none. Some fought the invaders, some fled to hills and mountains. Eventually the Gothic tribes won out and settled the land of Dwyrain, establishing many petty kingdoms. They called the low coastal land Vestland and the nearby islands off the coast Ostland. The Gothic Kings only ruled for a short time in this land before they too were conquered by another people from the north, the Heldann.
Cultural Analog: The Anglo-Saxons(Vestland), The Dutch(Ostland)
Domains: Kingdom of Vestland, Kingdom of Ostland, Kingdom of Ghyr, Nordharatar Defense League, Vestland Jarls, Black Eagle Barony
The Heldann
These northern barbarians share an ancient ancestry with the goths dwelling on the lowlands near the coasts in the north country. A few centuries ago the Heldannic people began conducting ever more daring sea raids on the Gothic Kingdoms, and even further south targeting Thyatian shipping in the Sea of Dread. Eventually raids led to conquest; Ostland was the first to fall, from which the other other Gothic Kingdoms were easily isolated and targeted. For a time Heldanic raiders even established some colonies along the coast of the desert until they were driven out by Al-Kalim. The Heldannic Kings and Jarls continue to ply the waters of the Sea of Dawn and the Sea of Dread as sometime traders and sometime pirates.
Cultural Analog: The Norse
Domains: Heldannic Freeholds, Kingdom of Vestland, Nordhartar Defense League, Vestland Jarls, Kingdom of Ostland
------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: updated the Iasuli background
