The Lost Kingdom of Byransa

Gordovians: The kings of Gordovia and Princess Artania have built a network of keeps and watchtowers throughout the Lost Kingdom, each administered by a Gordovian military officer directly answerable to Princess Artania. These are not lords with their own lands, but knights who rule in the name of the crown. The policy of the Crown has been to allow the barbarian tribes to keep their own lands, but not allow them their own fortifications. Also, the Gordovian policy is not to allow the locals to own martial weapons, or anything more than light armor. Gordovians have moved to the Lost Kingdom to illegally farm the areas around these keeps, and their demands for legal grants of land have created friction with the barbarian tribes. Dravius Blackheart has argued strenuously that the lords of Gordovia should be given land grants in the Lost Kingdom so that they can use their own wealth to develop the area, but Princess Artania, fearing war, has resisted this advice. It is bad enough that the Orange families in Gordovia proper have been dispossessed and form a ready source of dissent and opposition. To dispossess further barbarian tribes in the Lost Kingdom would make matters worse.

The R'kka H'aar (Redbeard) Clan: The Redbeard Clan, headquartered in Byransa-Bryransa, are overwhelmingly pure human, and called such for their flaming red hair and beards, and they are considered royalty in the Lost Kingdom. Their origins are far off to the north, as they have very pale skin and orange freckles, and they burn easily in warmer climes with more sunlight. These are cousins to the Red Family in Gordovia, not descendents of Red King John, and are called the Oranges by Gordovians to distinguish them from the Red King John Red descended Red Family. King Rufus is a member of the Oranges, and all Oranges feel kin to him. Oranges in Gordovia have been dispossessed of the lands they won when they came down with Rufus and conquered Gordovia. Their particular enemity is with the Blackheart family, and Dravius Blackheart in particular, who committed atrocities against the Oranges in revenge for losing his castle and lands, and in revenge to the captivity and humiliation of his beloved Princess Artania. The Oranges and the Blackhearts have a blood feud that lasts to this day.

The G'narrle Woode (Green Forest) Clan: Of all the orcish tribes, these are the most peaceful and civilized. These are mostly light-green-skinned orcs, but with a mix of a large number of humans and half-orcs through interbreeding. The city of G'nnash K'nnash (Human Home) is controlled by this clan, though mostly humans and half-orcs live here, living off logging and other peaceful trades. The Green Forest Clan lives peacefully with the Gordovians, but are constantly at war with the Black Cragg Clan, who they consider inferior savages. Ator missionaries, in particular St. Alban, who came here as a reincarnated 15-year-old orc, have made major inroads and many this clan worship Ator. The Green Forest Clan are considered the most civilized of barbarian tribes, second only to the Oranges.

Th'blak'kragg (The Black Cragg) Clan: These are dark-green-skinned orcs, far wilder than the lighter green skinned G'narrls, and not as prone to racially mix with humans, so there are far fewer half-orcs among them. What humans they do have are slaves, who are not allowed to fight. Unlike the Green Hand orcs, the Black Cragg orcs consider themselves tougher and stronger than humans, and half-orcs among them are on the bottom of the social scale. The only half-orcs are a result of rape of local human villages or loveless couplings with human woman slaves. Black Craggs are much more likely to associate with ogres and even have mercenary hill giants among them. They ride on worgs, which are more intelligent and vicious than they are.

Ashabala Valley: This valley is so isolated that it might as well be a separate country, and in fact, most Byransans do not even know of it's existence. The valley is like a place where time forgot, as pre-historical beasts from an era before the time of dragons and giants still roam here, and the people, who once had an advanced civilization, have devolved to the level of savagery and devil worship. The tribes of the valley make constant war with one another, but the most brutal of them are those who live in the city of Azlatana, who sacrifice war prisoners to their devil god, and eat their hearts. This valley is hard to find, which is a good thing, since it is so ensnared in evil and devil worship.

G'aant K'nnash (Nephelopolis): The rumors are that this is a city of gentle, highly civilized Cloud Giants. Not much is know about this mythical paradise in the clouds, and those who go this city to discover what wonders are there tend not to return.

K'andimm B'aern F'aad (Kingdom of Burnt Fields): Ruled by a weak and cowardly king, these poor, downtrodden barbarians and serfs live in the shadow of Red Dragon Mountain and suffer constant deprivations due to its tendency to eat their livestock and burn their crops. They have started to worship the dragon in an attempt to placate it, and every spring and autumn solstice, they sacrifice a female virgin to the dragon, chosen by lottery. They have begged the Kingdom of Gordovia for assistance in ridding them of the dragon problem, to no avail. Gordovia does not want to risk riling up the powerful dragon and the sorcerers of the Red Dragon Clan.

R'kka V'taggi (Red Dragon) Clan: A powerful red dragon rules this clan like a dictator with an iron fist. The sorcerers and barbarians under his command serve him out of fear, and to prevent destruction to their own lands and serfs. They are concerned that the dwarves plan to re-establish a settlement in the ruined city of Rha Takar, and have sent an emissary to Knockerton to ask Nyrond the Negotiator for assistance in derailing this plan.

Top of the World: This land is so remote that very little is known about it. The Inn at the Top of the World is the last refuge for civilization, and a launching point for adventure into the unknown. It is rumored that yeti, white dragons, frost giants, ice worms, ice elementals, and other creatures of the ice and cold live in the Top of the World Forest, and make quick work of adventurers who wander there. Few who venture into these lands return to tell the tale. A powerful warlock lives at the top of Top of the World Tower, but very little is known about him. He keeps to himself, and only late night chantings and the movement of dark shadows hints that he's even there.

S'kka M'aabl (Silver Mountain) Clan: This clan has fought with the dwarves for thousands of years and is on the front line of the barbarians' war with dwarfkind. They live entirely underground or in high mountain valleys. The Silver Mountain barbarians are overwhelmingly orcs, but they have many goblins working as scouts and spies. They can also call on powerful allies in the Silver Mountains east of Khal Thul -- hill giants, stone giants, and even some frost giants. The few humans and half-orcs among them are considered nobility, and are valued for their intelligence when used to plan superior battle tactics. The human leaders brokered peace when King Rufus took the throne, seeing it as bad policy to fight a three-front war with the dwarves, Gordovians, and Oranges. But now that the Orange-Red alliance has weakened and grown frayed, and the dwarves internal strength has weakened with internal dissent, voices urging war have prevailed, and in a surprise attack, the Silver Mountain Clan has resumed its genocidal war on the dwarves of Khal Thul. The trick now is to keep the other barbarian/orc tribes from joining in the fight, as they have in the past.