Chessenta

Capital: None

Population: 3,000,000 (human – Mulan, Chondathan, Turami – Chondathan is the most prominent subgroup of humans with a minority of Turami and Mulan), plus 300,000 demi-humans (60% halfling, 20% half orc, 10% dwarf, 10% elf), plus 200,000 slaves (various)

Government: Independent city states with varied systems of government

Religion: Anhur, Assuran (Hoar), Azuth, Garagos, Lathander, Tchazzar, Tempus, Tiamat, Waukeen

Overview

Chessenta was once the centre of the now forgotten Mulan empire of Akanu which at one time conquered parts of Jhaamdath and the Yuirwood. In time it became a vassal of the Untheric Empire before gaining independence under the Warlord Tchazzar and being renamed Chessenta.

Chessenta as a united nation lasted less than a century before Tchazzar disappeared and is believed to have attained godhood. Since Tchazzar’s ascension the country split into factions and then independent city states, and this situation has remained the norm until the present day. On occasion, various city states band together in short-lived alliances to conquer their enemies, but the alliances never last more than a few years before political differences come to a head and the status quo of Chessenta is restored.

Language

During the time of Akanu, the people of this region spoke Akanaic, which was a member of the Rauric family of languages, and was almost identical to Untheric (a language spoken by its sister nation of Unther).

Since the collapse of Akanu, there have been waves of migration from the neighbouring Vilhon Reach, as well as more distant Amn (during the persecutions of the Shoon Empire), and today the language of Chessenta is a pidgin language known as Chessic which more closely resembles a mix of Chondathan and Auld Thorass languages with a few words from Akanaic.

The alphabet used in Chessenta is exclusively the Thorass alphabet. The last official use of Akanaic and its runic alphabet was over 200 years ago, although Untheric is used as a second language by those that have regular dealings with Unther (merchants, slavers, mercenary companies, etc).

Sceptanar: Wizard-King

Melarch, Tarlarch, Yoevyarkh: Various titles for lord invented by individual city states and rulers.

Marquar: Marquis

Klelandar: Viscount

Thardoun: Earl

Deltharkh: Baron

Corlar: Knight, Baronet

Timeline

  • -4366 DR: Imaskari artificers open gates to another world and abduct thousands of humans to serve as slaves. The Imaskari then destroy the gates and erect a magical barrier around their lands which prevents all magical teleportation and planar travel (except that of the Imaskari).
  • -2489 DR: Arrival of the God Kings: Ancient heroes and kings of the mulan slaves arrive on Toril in the Teyla-Shan (Godswatch Mountains) after travelling for centuries through the Border Ethereal to rescue their people. Imaskari slaves in Raurin begin to revolt against their masters.
  • -2488 DR: Battle of the Whirling Sands: The god-kings and their flying citadels launch a surprise attack on Inupras in the heart of the Imaskari Empire. Horus slays the Lord Artificer Yuvaraj. Mulan slaves everywhere rise up in revolt, other slaves in far off provinces rebel once word reaches them of the destruction of Inupras.
  • -1971 DR: E-Anu founds the city of Adanu (Modern: Adder Swamp) after sighting what is believed to be the legendary Greater Quelzarn in what is now the Bay of Chessenta.

The First Akanic Empire

Until around -1750 DR, the nation of Akanu was little more than its capital of Adanu and a few outlying settlements.

As the nation grew and logged the forest that covered this land, they came into conflict with other people like the Turami humans, Batoi halflings, and the once powerful elven fey nation of Enyllstaar. The forces of Akanu cleared their lands and slaughtered any who didn’t immediately flee before them.

This slash and burn policy of geographic and ethnic cleansing brought Akanu much wealth and resources as well as large areas of land, but it also brought the nation into conflict with a powerful neighbour; Jhaamdath.

Faced with a true military threat, the Empire of Akanu was born as it reformed its military and devoted itself to expansion and conquest. After a century of warfare, Akanu conquered the far eastern city of Inixrien and forced the nation of Jhaamdath to sign a peace treaty to prevent further conquests.

With its neighbours licking their wounds, Akanu set about conquering other lands. It expanded south into the Lake of Steam region and north across the sea to the archipelago of Altumbel and skirmishes with neighbouring Unther for control of the southern shore of what would one day be known as Aglarond.

The First Empire would end when The Orgate was opened and the Orcgate Wars began which resulted in the death of almost half of the godkings of Akanu.

  • -1771 DR: E-Anu orders the cleansing of all lands between the mountains in the east and west (Akanapeaks and Riders to the Sky). Over a century of logging and persecution of elf, fey, turami, and batoi natives begins.
  • -1504 DR: The armies of Akanu; led by the hero Ram-Hlath begin the conquest of the eastern part of Jhaamdath as far as Inixrien.
  • -1499 DR: The city of Inixrien falls to the Untheric invaders.
  • -1254 DR: After years of skirmishing with the elves of Yuirshanyaar, the combined might of Akanu and Unther drive the elves deep into the Yuirwood and the settlements of Altumbel and the southern shore of Aglarond are firmly established
  • -1076 DR to -1069 DR: The Orcgate Wars: The Orcgate opens in what is now the Plateau of Thay; hundreds of thousands of orcs invade the northern shore of the Alamber Sea. Mulhorand loses control of the Precept of the Priador while Unther and Akanu lose the settlements in Altumbel and the Wizards’ Reach.
  • -1071 DR: Battle of the Gods: The forces of Akanu, Mulhorand, and Unther; led by their gods, launch a concerted attack on the orcs occupying their northern territories with help from native tribes in neighbouring lands. A series of grand battles begins that sees the orcs summon Avatars of their god’s and the deaths of many gods of the Old Empires; including Re, Amar-Du’uk, Sin-An’na, TiaMa’at. and many other Akanic and Untheric deities.
  • -1070 DR: Inixrien is retaken for the Bladelords of Jhaamdath.
  • -1069 DR: The Orcgate Wars are ended, the orcs are defeated and driven from the lands around the Priador Plateau.
  • Jhaamdath restores its eastern border with Akanu at the Akan’Angol.

The Second Akanic Empire

  • -1052 DR: Akanu recolonises the northern shore of the Alamber Sea (Modern: Wizards’ Reach).
  • -1048 DR: Tribes of Nar and Rashemi that chose to settle in the Priador Plateau following the Orcgate Wars battle with the resettled colonies of Akanu and destroy the fledgling settlements of Akanu. Gil-Geamesq disappears during the skirmishes.
  • -1028 DR: Gil-Geamesq returns to Adanu with the traitor Ere-Shiki as his prisoner.
  • -987 DR: E-Anu the ruler of Akanu dies from a snake bite to his ankle, suffered while crossing the Akan-Lass (Modern: Adder River)
  • Gil-Geamesq is crowned ruler of Akanu.
  • -734 DR: Rise and Fall of the Untheric Empire: After a period of negotiation between Gil-Geamesq and E-Nlil, the Empires of Akanu and Unther merge. Gil-Geamesq is pronounced God-King of the Second Empire of Unther, E-Nlil is declared to have departed Unther in search of peace.
  • Ulgariph Ram-Chesq is granted the right to rule Akanu as a vassal of the greater Untheric Empire.

The Second Untheric Empire

From -734 DR until 679 DR, Akanu ceases to exist as a sovereign nation and is now a vassal of the greater Untheric Empire which is ruled by Gil-Geamesq the God-King.

Despite being Gil-Geamesq’s homeland it became readily apparent to everyone dwelling in Akanu that the God-King did not care at all for Akanu or its people. He never again set foot in Akanu, ignored all it’s invitations pleas for help, all the while increasing taxes to pay for his wars of conquest and the glory of Unther.

Eventually people in Akanu began to rebel against the harsh rule of Gil-Geamesq, many fled across the sea to colonise Altumbel and the Wizards’ Reach (following the fall of Narfell and Raumathar). Migrants from lands far to the west (Shoon) that included powerful wizards arrived during this time and gravitated towards the lands now known informally as the Wizards’ Reach. This influx of powerful foreigners and rebellion against a harsh and absent ruler prompted the formation of the League of Samusthar (meaning Throne of the North, although by the time the league was conquered by Tchazzar it was corrupted to Samathar).

Unther’s disastrous campaign to retake the Wizards’ Reach would ultimate result in Gil-Geamesq recognising the independence of the League of Samusthar, and the end of the Second Untheric Empire as Unther begins a long period of decline.

  • -696 DR: Ulgariph Ram-Chesq accidentally transforms himself into an undead monstrosity of unspeakable power. Gil-Geamesq dispatches Ram-Manu and Engquido to destroy the beast and reclaim Adanu.
  • -695 DR: Engquido lures Ram-Chesq out into the Sea of Fallen Stars and binds him to a small island (perishing in the process).
  • -623 DR: Narfell attempts to invade Mulhorand with a massive flotilla of ships. The navy of Unther rescues the besieged ports of Mulhorand with a rear attack while Raumathar invades the now sparsely defended Narfell controlled Priador Plateau.
  • -100 DR to 250 DR: In the aftermath of Narfell and Raumathar’s destruction, settlers from Mulhorand and Unther (mostly Akanu) recolonize the lands that will become Altumbel, Aglarond, and the Wizards’ Reach.
  • 75 DR Year of Clinging Death: Plague wracks southern Faerûn, devastating Chessenta, Unther, the Vilhon Reach, and the Shaar.
  • 108 DR: The city of Adanu is totally flooded by a combination of severe storms, flooding rivers, and failing flood defences in a catastrophe that mirrors the flooding of Unthalass.
  • 202 DR to 205 DR: The War of Claws: The Theocracy of Eltabranar invades southern Unther and Mulhorand with Eltab leading it’s armies deep into Mulhorand’s territory. The Mulhorandi deliberately lose ground drawing Eltab further north, while its armies regroup behind him. Eltab’s forces are ultimately routed and the demon lord is driven north and imprisoned beneath Thaymount by the magic of the sword Hadryllis.
  • 211 DR: Year of Spoiled Splendours: The armies of Unther and Mulhorand conquer the Theocracy of Eltabranar (in what is now the Eastern Shaar) and destroy the capital city of Shandaular. The surviving Arkaiuns flee to what will later become known as Dambrath.
  • 298 DR: Year of the Scarred Wagon: The Shoon Imperium now controls all land  in the Shaar between the Lake of Steam and the Landrise.
  • 340 DR: Year of the Uncrossed Bridge: The archipelago of Altumbel is seized by a the renegade noble Shu-Azeddar who declares himself the “Northern King” and acquires a huge fleet of ships which he uses to raid nearby settlements (favouring Impiltur).
  • 346 DR: Year of Blushing Stars: Shu-Azeddar is slain and the region of Altumbel declares itself part of Unther once more.
  • 400 DR Year of the Blue Shield: Escalant is founded on the Wizards’ Reach by settlers from Akanu.
  • 420 DR: Year of the Last Breath: The failing Empires of Unther and Shoon begin the War of Broken Wheels over a territory dispute in Central Shaar.
  • 427 DR Year of the One’s Tear: Magic Users begin migrating from the lands held by the Shoon Imperium due to the Mage Purges of Amahl Shoon VII. Some 10,000 magic users settle in the land that becomes known as the Wizards’ Reach.
  • 482 DR: Year of the Blighted Vine: Delthuntle and Laothkund break free of Unther.
  • 504 DR: Year of the Eclipsed Heart: Teth and Nethra declare their independence of Unther and join the League of Samusthar. Unther begins a long campaign against the North Coast cities.
  • 523 DR Year of Trials Arcane: Second confirmed sighting of the artifact known as the “Crown of the Mountain”, in the Underdark near Chessenta.
  • 625 DR: Year of the Torrents: Escalant secedes from Unther and joins the League of Samathar.
  • 677 DR: Year of Resonant Silence: The fleet of Unther is destroyed by terrible storms enroute to crush the rebellious cities of the Wizards’ Reach
  • Ass-Uraqn battles the Warlord of Erebos atop the slopes of Mount Thulbane, the titanic combat splits the mountain, and the volcanic activity causes terrible storms in the Alamber Sea and the Sea of Fallen Stars for the rest of the year.
  • Lava from Mount Thulbane cuts the fledgling states; of what will soon be Chessenta, from the parent empire of Unther.
  • 678 DR Year of the Poignant Poniard: Lord Councillor Kharis Maerdrym and his hunting party, which includes several humans of note, mysteriously disappear off the coast of Delthuntle during a Grand Hunt of a near-legendary greater quelzarn. Agents of Unther are suspected in the attack (as are some of Lord Maerdrym’s usual political foes).
  • 679 DR: Year of the Scarlet Sash: Unther forced to recognise the independence of the North Coast cities. Unther never recovers from this long, costly, and bloody campaign. End of Second Untheric Empire.

The Alliance of Chessenta

The advent of the third Untheric Empire saw almost all of the strength and treasury of the empire expended in the costly wars against Shoon, Eltabranar, and the League of Samathar.

Akanu was always an autonomous region that contributed tax and conscripts to Unther but was otherwise allowed to rule itself as long as it obeyed the edicts of Gil-Geamesq. With Unther’s strength spent, Akanu became independent in all but name, it ignored the edicts of Gil-Geamesq with increasing defiance and only maintained partial tax payments to prevent an unnecessary war.

Although the Alliance of Chessenta wasn’t formally created until 902 DR, a number of secret manipulators were working towards claiming the lands of Akanu for themselves long before this time, and plans had been set in motion which ultimately resulted in Tchazzar claiming victory and the crown.

  • 735 DR: Year of the Prophet’s Child: Stellac Benadi the future first High Imperceptor of Bane is born in Mourktar.
  • 800 DR: Year of the Black Fist: Stellac Benadi is named High Imperceptor of the Church of Bane in Mourktar.
  • 823 DR: Year of the Floating Petals: Mourktar breaks free of Unther.
  • 843 DR: Year of the Maverick: High Imperceptor Stellac Benadi disappears from Mourktar throwing the Church of Bane into chaos.
  • 902 DR: Year of the Queen’s Tears: Tchazzar is crowned Sceptanar of Cimbar and claims sovereignty of all the lands of the new nation of Chessenta (which includes all the lands of Akanu), although in reality he only claims Cimbar at this time.
  • 929 DR: Year of Flashing Eyes: By this year Tchazzar has united all the lands of Akanu into the Alliance of Chessenta and conquered the rival land of Threskel.
  • The Alliance of Chessenta drives Unther beyond the Riders to the Sky Mountains.
  • 953 DR: Year of the Guiding Crow: Tchazzar and the Alliance of Chessenta subjugates the League of Samathar, adding the Wizards’ Reach to Chessenta’s territory.
  • 955 DR: Year of the Telltale Candle: The Orcgates Affair: Temporary portals open across Toril, releasing thousands of mountain orcs throughout the known world.
  • 976 DR: Year of the Slaying Spells: Mulhorand invades Thay with a massive army of mercenaries from Chessenta but its forces are defeated at the River Thazarim.
  • c. 1000 DR: The archmage Ultham creates the Magical Chessmen of Ultham-Urre in Chessenta.
  • 1018 DR: Year of the Dracorage: The dragon-in-disguise King Tchazzar of Chessenta disappears while fighting the sahuagin of the Alamber Sea. His people believe him ascended to godhood, since his body is not found.
  • Alasklerbanbastos allies himself with the Cult of the Dragon cell in Chessenta and undergoes the transformation into a dracolich.
  • 1024 DR: Year of Lathander’s Light: A Cult of TiaMa’at cell and a Cult of the Dragon cell in the disputed land now known as Threskel enters into a guerrilla war that annihilates both cults in the lands north of Unther and in Chessenta within a year.
  • 1057 DR: Year of Azure Frost: Unther attempts to invade Chessenta but is defeated.
  • 1117 DR: Year of the Twelverule: Chessenta begins to break up into rival city states as Mordulkin is the first to defy the Sceptanar of Cimbar
  • The Wizards’ Reach regains independence from Chessenta.

The City States of Chessenta

Following the disappearance of Tchazzar the Alliance of Chessenta quickly broke apart as its lords and nobles each tried to claim the crown of Chessenta for themselves.

Rivalries quickly turned into feuds and then open warfare. This state of affairs has continued until the present day with each city state warring against every other city, forming only short lived alliances that change annually.

  • 1154 DR: Year of the Sun Underground: The forces of Akanax and Soorenar besiege Cimbar. The Sceptanar of Cimbar is forced to sign a treaty imposing harsh limitations on his power. Akanax refuses to recognise the Sceptanar as ruler of Chessenta and will not sign the treaty.
  • 1161 DR: Year of the Quiet Earth: The Kurunak clan become the Lords of Luthcheq after the suspicious deaths of the previous rulers.
  • 1307 DR: Year of the Mace: Akanax destroys Maerdruuth
  • 1317 DR to 1324 DR: The Plague of Dragons: The plague of dragons decimates the civilian population of Chessenta.
  • 1322 DR: Year of the Lurking Death: Alasklerbanbastos, the Great Bone Wyrm, terrorises Chessenta and Unther in a summer long reign of terror.
  • 1324 DR: Year of the Grimoire: Third Luthcheq-Mordulkin War: Luthcheq attempts an invasion of Mordulkin to take advantage of the Plague of Dragons. Luthcheq ultimately loses the war and begins persecuting magic users in earnest.
  • 1347 DR: Year of the Bright Blade: Akanax – Soorenar War: Akanax begins and loses a disastrous war with Soorenar, signing a peace treaty after Soorenar besieges the city (despite Hippartes breaking the siege). The Council of the Hand is disbanded by popular revolution and Hippartes is selected as ruler of Akanax.

Life and Society

Economy

The economy of Chessenta is dependent upon trade and mercenaries. Chessenta is famous for its exquisite sculptures and figurines which are valued far and wide, the Akanul is the most fertile of lands in the Old Empires, and the Akana Peaks and Maerthwatch are rich with ore. If Chessenta were united it is entirely likely its trading power could potentially match the likes of Sembia and Cormyr, but because of its disunity most trade goods are moved as fast as possible to generate funds for the wars between each city state.

Currency: Every city in Chessenta mints its own currency and depending upon current alliances and hostilities it is difficult to anticipate which city accepts the currencies of which other Chessentan city. As a result of this chaotic warfare between cities, there are two trade currencies that are accepted in all cities across Chessenta; the Authokh and the Belbolt. No one is quite sure of the city of origin for these coins but most historians believe they are from the time of Tchazzar.

Authokh: The Authokh is a square coin with hole in the centre of greenish colouration and made of silver mixed with copper and other ores (to prevent the silver tarnishing). Both sides of the coin are stamped with a ring of 12 symbols (leaves, daggers, trade bars, etc), different symbols on each side. The symbols are often an indication of the period the coin dates from dating back 300 years. The Authokh is worth 5 silver pieces in Chessenta (although only a single silver piece in other Inner Sea lands)

Belbolt: The Belbolt is a large, slightly oval gold coin with matching angular cuts in the top and bottom of the coin to give it the appearance of a double bladed axe head. The coin is stamped with the head of an ancient king that many believe to be Tchazzar. The Belbolt is worth 10 gold pieces in Chessenta (and 2 gp in other Inner Sea lands).

Government

Defence

Religion

Important Sites

Akana Peaks: This mountain range; which forms part of the border between Chessenta and Chondath, are the highest mountains in the region. They are rich in minerals and have long been home to dwarf mining holds that remained hidden from the expansionist Jhaamdath and Akanu, but were tentative trading partners of Chondath and Chessenta for a time.

In 955 DR orcs from the north west of Faerun seemingly appeared out of nowhere in large numbers. There are documented incidents of bands of orcs appearing inside farmsteads atop the hearth, inside prisons, in the middle of the countryside. Much slaughter ensued and after months of bloodshed and destruction most believed the greenskin menace was at an end. Northern history however would have proved them wrong.

Surviving orcs fled to the mountains where the humans were few, and hid in the caves and deserted lairs of others. After a century of surviving and breeding, the orcs overwhelmed the dwarves that had lived beneath these mountains for millennia. For the last 2 centuries they have begun raiding the nearby villages and farms in Chondath and Chessenta, even being so bold as to skirmish with soldiers from the city. It is only a matter of time before the hordeing mentality that is the scourge of the Sword Coast becomes all to real to the long sheltered southern lands.

The Adder River Valley: Once home to a huge forest that was the elven nation of Enyllstaar, this region was filled with old and powerful woodland creatures that plagued the expansionist Empire of Akanu during its early years. Eventually the godkings of Akanu had almost the entire forest cleared, leaving only a small woodland atop a plateau at the southern end of the Winding River near the Adder Peaks.

Now the Adder River Valley is miles upon miles of grassland with little obvious distinguishing features between Luthcheq and the Maerchwood. There are numerous vaults and ruins hidden in the long grass (which can grow more than 5 ft in places, and the dangers inherent in such places often discourage people from venturing into its interior alone.

Adder River: This river forms the western border of the Adder River Valley, it is slow, shallow and muddy and is avoided by most because of a high population of poisonous swimming snakes that are aggressive when disturbed.

There is a legend of old that once a king of Chessenta was killed by a single snake bite. This legend makes little sense to commoners and historians alike because Chessenta as a nation has had only one ruler; Sceptanar Tchazzar, and he was definitely not killed by a snakebite. There was however an older nation founded long before Chessenta, a few scholars believe this legend refers to the death of its ruler although it seems unlikely that a mere snakebite could kill a demi-god.

Adder Swamp: The Adder Swamp is what gives the Adder River Valley its name; a vast murky wetland that sprawls along either side of the Adder River for half a hundred miles in any direction. It is home to all manner of insects, vermin, and reptiles and is shunned by all right thinking humans.

There are rumours; among the few intrepid explorers to venture into it’s interior, that the Adder Swamp is home to a great sunken city full of steppe pyramids in the old Untheric style. The Adder River leads straight to this sunken city, but few who reach it ever escape alive, for the city is home to a humanoid reptilian people that most resemble crocodiles who worship a crocodile of enormous proportions whom they refer to as Haaashastaak (at least 40 ft long some say), and these crocodilians war with shadowy rat like people who skulk amid the streets, and both prey on the native halflings that live on the outskirts of the swamp but hunt its interior.

Every so often a fever ridden lunatic crawls out of the swamp with a handful of coins bearing the head a king none recognise today which learned sages identify as E-Anu.

Luthcheq (City, 50,000): The original name of this settlement is lost to time, for it was the second settlement of Akanu to be founded. Its modern name is a corruption of the Untheric phrase House of Chesq, derived from the most famous resident Ulgarip (Grand Viceroy) Ram-Chesq who once ruled Akanu in Gilgeam’s stead, and was responsible for some of the most evil and depraved magical experimentation in the Old Empires.

Something about Luthcheq has always been slightly odd, records written in Untheric from the time when Gil-Geamesq was God-King of Akanu speak of strange disappearances and dangerous monsters that stalked the settlement. Today the city is ruled by an insane ancient Untheric family, is rumoured to be home to a god that will devour the entire world, is surrounded by grass that is anathema to magic users, and is home to more vampires, were-creatures, and psychotic killers than anywhere else in Faerun.

The reason for the amount of evil and strangeness centred on one city is unknown but historic records found in subterranean cellars of the Adder Swamp (in the lost city of Adanu) detail the odd occurrences beginning when the Ulgariph Ram-Chesq ordered the removal of a great treasure from the vaults of Adanu for it to be placed in the Home of Chesq (Luut Chesq in Untheric) for further study. This great treasure was supposedly an item of great power plundered from the conquest of Inixrien of ancient Jhaamdath.

Gil-Geamesq and Ram-Chesq performed some of the most evil and depraved magical experimentations using this object of power, and it is during the reign of the Ulgariph that the strange occurrences in Luthcheq increased in frequency. Since the breakup of the Alliance of Chessenta these occurrences have decreased in frequency somewhat following the first sack of the city during the Akanax-Luthcheq War.

Luthcheq is a walled city on the shore of the Bay of Chessenta, built around a mound, upon which sits the Chesq Palace. It is home to some 50,000 humans and absolutely no demi-humans. The city is ruled by the Karanok Clan who are descended from ancient Untheric families that were once prominent in Akanu. The Karanoks have long been known as eccentric but in the last century they have taken to worshipping an entity known as Entropy and persecuting anything with a connection to magic.

The Akanul: This region encompasses all the lands  immediately around the Akanamere as far north as the Akanapeaks, as far south as the Maerthwatch, as far west as the Nun River, and including Akanax hard on the far eastern shore of the lake. Most people not from the region refer to the Akanul only as the sheltered plains nestled between the Akanamere and the Maerthwatch.

The Akanul is among the most fertile land in Chessenta, which is handy because most of the population living here are so devoted to warfare that they have very little time to farm intensively, despite this the women and elderly of the Akanul manage to farm and fish enough to feed more than half of the people in Chessenta.

The Akanul was for many centuries the home of Ass-Uraqn and his band of freedom fighters. The influence of this exiled godking is still felt in the region as most of the settlements have a loose alliance under the strongest leader in the region, allowing the much smaller settlements of the Akanul to militarily match the more populated cities elsewhere in Chessenta.

Akanax (City, 25,000): This “city” is more of a permanent army camp, most of the buildings are tents or wooden huts with a rare few made of stone. The city is supposed to have been built upon the site of one of Ass-Uraqn’s secret bases during his time in Akanu resisting the rule of Gil-Geamesq.

Today the city of Akanax is a permanent muster site for all the cities of the Akanul, including the Blade Kingdoms (although they only contribute levies lightly). It is ruled by the greatest warrior of the Akanul, the self titled King Hippartes who claims descent from Ass-Uraqn himself through the maternal line.

Akanax is almost perpetually at war with the cities of the Ametlu or with Luthcheq and its allies. The Akanul cities cling strongly to the old ways and refuse to bow down to the rule of the “foreigners” of the northern coast so they will never accept the rule of the Sceptanar (apart from Tchazzar himself who even the warlike Akanul would not oppose), it’s people also despise the twisted madness of the Karanoks of Luthcheq, and they are none to fond of the wizards of Mordulkin who invaded from the Wizards’ Reach and betrayed Ass-Uraqn. In short the city of Akanax is often at odds with everyone else in Chessenta.

The Melt: This region encompasses all the lands north of the River Akax and east of the Akanapeaks and the Red River. It was once a major battleground between Akanu and Jhaamdath and was home only to forts and ruins for many hundreds of years, the ground too scarred by salt sown into the soil by successive invasions. Its name is believed to refer to the melting of ethnicities in the region but it may also be a derivative of the word Ametlu (shield land) in Untheric.

Since the arrival of migrants fleeing troubles in the Shoon Imperium and the Fall of Jhaamdath, this region has become home to many large and bustling cities such as Cimbar, Erebos, and Soorenar, which destabilised the old order in Akanu and heralded the formation of Chessenta.

The Northern Coast is now one of the most populace and powerful regions in Chessenta but is rife with politics and wars between the cities, much to the relief of the older cities in the Adder River Valley.

Airspur (City, 20,000): Airspur is a clifftop city adjoined to its famous “spur” by a narrow bridge that links it to an old building that functions as one of the most secure prisons in Chessenta. Airspur is home to a majority half orc population that is most unusual for the region.

Many believe the orc origins come from the city’s close proximity to the Akana Peaks which are home to more than a few tribes of orcs. Historians studying ancient chessenta point to orc slaves being present in the region long before the more recent arrival of orcs in the infamous Orcgates Affair a few centuries ago which led to the infestation of the Akana Peaks.

Erebos: Erebos is one of the new cities, founded not by Akanu but by the migrants that came to this land from places west. It was not the first migrant city (that honour belongs to Airpur), but it was the largest and most influential during the centuries leading up to the Alliance of Chessenta.

Erebos was originally founded as Dun-Orebos by a being known only as the Warlord. The Warlord came to Akanu through the Akanapeaks during the peak of Unther’s troubles with the League of Samathar, leading an army of mercenaries, monsters, and some say fiends. He quickly conquered Airspur and Cimbar and immediately made war upon Ass-Uraqn and his rebels around the Akanamere.

After Ass-Uraqn fled east, the Warlord established the fortified port on the western edge of the Bay of Chessenta and proceeded to ship his army across the water in pursuit of his quarry. Erebos is the corrupted remnant of the name Dun-Orebos, the clifftop fort now lies in ruins, its original buildings long since destroyed and replaced with imitation Akanic architecture during Tchazzar’s reign.

Erebos is firmly controlled by the lords of Cimbar who use its location to exact a toll on those entering the Bay of Chessenta.

The Jade River: This river flows west from the Riders to the Sky Mountains to the Bay of Chessenta and acts as a border between Threskel and Chessenta (even though Threskel as a nation has not existed since before Chessenta was founded).

Three ruling families of Soorenar; Thurik, Yashur, Brolkchant defeated the armies of Unther and drove them out of Chessenta. The Karanok Clan are related to these noble families.

Dissensions of a Chessentan written in 1348 DR by Yarynous Whaelldon

Musings of a Chessentan Scholar written in 1357 DR by Loremaster Hardolan Myrinter

The Blades of the Unicorn – secret society pretending to be unicorn fanciers but really wanting to remove the barriers of wealth and privilege and power and then let deeds and coin do the talking.

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