Vhara

Capitol: Palischuck Population: 451,780 Government: Anarchy; factions control various parts of Vhara, with the citizens often forming their own councils with aid of the Vharan Nationalists or the Kingdom of Arcadia Religions: Olidammara, orc pantheon, Kord, Hextor, Pelor, dwarven pantheon, many cults of archdevils and demon princes Imports: Weapons, food Exports: Lumber, minerals, monsters Alignment: N, CN, NE

History
Vhara is an ancient nation with a long, and often dark, past. It's physical geography is is somewhat varied, however, most of the country is vast plains which roll into taiga towards the northern and eastern parts of the State. Towards its southwest flank is a large mountain range which has formed a kind of natural barrier with some of the western kingdoms of the Heartlands. The mountains, which join the Thundercrags, themselves are not overly formidable as they are inhabited by relatively friendly, if not social, dwarven kingdoms. However, they have become inhabited with some dangerous monsters on Vhara's side. Roving bands of goblinoids, orcs, and barbarians come from the Hordelands in the east and cross the plains, funneled in through Vhara's narrow eastern tail and taking great cautions to avoid the elves in the great forest (those monsters who survive that is). The southern parts of the country are more temperate and contain the majority of the populace in grassy rolling foothills or plains. Despite its large size and fairly impressive natural resources, Vhara has remained a second or third rate power in the region due to its constant struggles with dark forces both within and without, and a series of repressive and cruel leaders. Vhara has been under one despot's heel or another since practically the beginning of it's settlement. It was first part of the Netheril Empire. After the collapse of Netheril, however it was plunged into civil war for several hundred years in which a series of warlords arose in various parts of Vhara, gathered armies, and made war. Every few decades a warlord would manage to conquer more or less all of Vhara, hold it for a few decades, then revert to civil warfare amongst the warlords. Thus, Vhara went through a succession of leaders of varying repressivness. Even during times of peace under relatively benign warlords life was never easy in Vhara. Monsters were common, crossing the plains of Vhara, or barbarians from the Golden Plains. The taiga which covers a great deal of Vhara made agriculture never overly bountiful. After several centuries of conflict in this manner, a great horde invaded from the east led by barbarian Gorn Earthsmasher (CN male human Bbn12) in approximately 2615 KR. The combined armies of Krondor (then a vassal state province of Arcadia) and Arcadia halted the horde (the Mulhorandi were as of yet still a series of disunited feudal states). The barbarians ruled for about 150 years, doing much that has actually improved Vhara in the long run. The barbarians brought hardier herd animals and crops. They also slew many of the monsters which had terrorized the people of Vhara. Eventually, the barbarians either had interbred with the Vharans or returned to the Hordelands. In 2767 KR, the first genuinely Vharan government formed. It was a kind of meritocratic kingship in which the strongest and most worthy leader was chosen by a contest whenever the position of kingship opened(which it did whenever a king died or chose to step down). This was to last until 3102 KR. Over the approximately 300 years in which the Vharan Kingdom had existed, the monstrous creatures had slowly crept out of their holes and brought darkness back into Vhara. In secret, the darkness infiltrated Vharan society and the hearts and minds of many of its people and leaders. Demonic and diabolical cults sprung up everywhere. By 3102 KR, these had significantly destabilized the State. Maximillion Roivas, a Vharan aristocratic and a member of the globe spanning Dark Brotherhood of Asmodeus led a coup against the king. Vhara was engulfed in several years of civil war during which the King was slain. Maximillion became leader for approximately 10 years. During this time, the Dark Brotherhood expanded into the State institutions of the surrounding States threatening to engulf the entire Heartlands in its coils. Concerned, the Arcadians, western Kingdoms (many of them newly independent or soon to be newly independent states), and even the Mulhorandi and Kingdom of Solus, formed an alliance to crush the Dark Brotherhood. After a brutal war they managed to capture Maximillion and cast out the Dark Brotherhood. Despite this, even under torture, they were unable to locate any more of the Dark Brotherhood or its leaders. Vhara, however, was now a troubling question and no force could quite decide what to do about it. It was at this point that the alliance broke apart. For a period of time, Vhara was divided up into vassal states administrated by the victorious neighboring states. Eventually they lost interest and left Vhara to its own devices.