The Highlands
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The Highlands is a large geographic region of the West, dominated by many gigantic mountain ranges.

The Highlands regional borders are: the Frozen Coast of the Myr Thalal on the north, the Purple, and Withered Mountains on the south, the Anglarand River on the east, and the Jagged Coast of the Iron Sea on the west. This region consists mostly mountainous terrain; filled with jagged hills, rocky outcroppings, and steep, treacherous valleys. As its name suggests, the Highlands contains seven massive large mountain ranges:

Geography

Because of its immense size, there are several large geographic sub-regions of the Highlands, these are:

Nation-States

Several different political entities exist in the Highlands. These regional political divisions consist of:

Local History

The Highlands have a long and storied past, stretching back thousands of years into the late Third Age, when various migratory groups of humans began to populate the region. These peoples were collectively called the Vaas, and there were nine different Clans;

Over the centuries, most of these tribal peoples kept to themselves, occasionally fighting with each other over territory or herds of livestock. But one over-riding trait was possessed by all Vaas men and women; a fierce sense of independence.

This stubbornness and independence was felt so strongly, it sometimes hindered advancement of the Vaas, and allowed them to be subjugated by other races, because of their lack of unity with each other.

The Cynaran Invasion

In the late third Third Age, much of the Eastvale was conquered by the Cynaran kingdom of Urland, which invaded the continent after sailing across the Sea of Vaas from Cynara. When the Iskari later conquered Urland, and took control of Westvale Island, the northwest Highlands fell into anarchy.

Establishment of the Kingdom of Harloch

For a time, the Queen of the Highlands; a strong Vaas ruler, established the Kingdom of Harloch and brought order to the region, but it was not to last. The nation of Harloch was later destroyed by a fierce barbarian tribe known as the Ravagers.

Later, the Freehold of Dorada was established, but it only controlled a small area.

Rise of the City-states

By the late Third Age, several of the Vaas clans had formed large settlements and strongholds, and their respective rulers established city-states around them.

The three most powerful of these Vaas city states were: Rilsavar, ruled by the House of Rilsav, Karthis; ruled by the House of Madrigal, and Pike's Ferry; ruled by the House of Pike. In addition to the city-states, the Stronghold of Irondale was founded by Malvenor Grüen.

These competing Vaas states were never able to unite together effectively against the Iskari, and this led to their domination for several centuries.

The Karthic Wars

For centuries, the various Vaas city-states constantly sparred with one another over territory and their squabbling rulers could never agreed on any common goals.

This lack of unity among the Vaas Clans was to prove disastrous with the arrival of the Iskari colonists from across the Iron Sea. The conflict between the Vaas City-states and the Iskari Kingdom of Iskandar became known as the "Karthic Wars," named for Karthis; the most powerful of the Vaas strongholds.

The Iskari took full advantage of Vaas inter-Clan squabbles, and used it to achieve several major victories. The greatest Iskari victory was the fall of Karthis, which completely broke all remaining Vaas resistance against the Iskari.

For over two centuries thereafter, Iskandar would dominate much of the Highlands region, and later institute a brutal occupation remembered today as the "War of Terror."

Era of the Ravagers

The Kingdom of Harloch brought peace and tranquility to much of the Highlands region, but it was not to last. A fierce group of barbarians called the Ravagers began raiding villages and towns, growing in strength and power. These barbarian horsemen became known as the Ravagers and eventually they destroyed the Kingdom of Harloch and burned its capital city of Elsareth.

the Kingdom of Erindar is Established

The rise of Erin Fremantle finally brought real order to the entire Highlands region. He fought a successful 13-year campaign to conquer all the rival Vaas Clans. This campaign came to be called the Wars of Destiny.

The War of Succession

The War of the Cataclysm brought carnage, suffering, and death to many regions of the West, and the Highlands were no exception. During that terrible conflict, the Kingdom of Erindar suffered large numbers of casualties and much of its territory was burned out.

Worse, its beloved ruler, King Erin Fremantle IV, was killed in the Battle of Harkalad, leaving his widow, Queen Elwyn as monarch. Soon after, a ruthless and ambitious Erindari vassal named Eldred Orsini declared open rebellion against the crown, and sought to place himself on the Ivory Throne.

This long, bloody rebellion came to be called the War of Succession, and resulted in the creation of two Vaas kingdoms; Elyria and Erindar.

page revision: 74, last edited: 29 Sep 2020 01:44
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