Capital: An-Khara (population: 55,000)
Population: 4,749,000 (89% Vilzari, 11% other (mostly slaves)
Demi-humans: 144,000 (90% desert-elves, 10% half-elves)
Humanoids: many (mostly gnolls)
Government: Tyrannical Monarchy
Current Leader: the Divine Priest-King Nezrakar N’Kroth
Coat of Arms: a gold crescent moon in a black pyramid on a gold field
Imports: iron, grain, vegetables, gems, wine, timber, stone, cloth
Exports: slaves, mercenaries, salt, jewelry, spices, herbs, trade goods
Vilzar is a vast desert nation which stretches across the Sea of Sand. Its people live in the iron grip of a tyrannical ruler whose regime uses religion and superstition to keep his subjects in line.
Borders
Vilzar's northern borders are the Dunlands, and the Kerak barrier wall, which seperate it from the Kingdom of Eldara. Its southern borders are the Sha'Dur Mountains, which separate the nation from the Sanjaara Jungle.
Vilzar's eastern borders are the Agatite Mountains and the Savage Coast of the Hrön Myr. Its western border is the Vilzari Coast of the Sea of Ralas.
Politics
Vilzar is a nation ruled by terror and superstition. Its tyrannical ruler; Nezrakar N’Kroth is not only a King, but also holds the title of the High-Priest of Velok; the revered Vilzari God of the Moon.
Today, Nezrakar rules his people with an iron fist and enforces his will with several tools at his disposal:
First, the King employs the "Savak," his greatly-feared secret police, whose extensive network of spies and informants, have instilled a pervasive climate of fear and mistrust among his subjects.
Second, Nezrakar commands the Order of Venhazzi, a group of devout priests and clerics who are fanatically loyal to him, and consider their King almost a living God. The Order also makes clever use of Vilzari superstitions and religious beliefs to maintain control over the local population.
As the head of the terrifying and powerful Temple of Velok, the Priest-King enforces religious theology via the much feared Order of Venhazzi, whose fanatical priests willingly execute thousands of innocent victims every year upon the infamous "Great Pyramid." of An-Khara.
Third, the King wields an enormous, well-trained military, which is garrisoned across the nation to swiftly put down any rebellion. Some say Nezrakar can command nearly 200,000 soldiers if need arises.
Finally, and perhaps most cruelly, Nezrakar even uses hunger as a weapon against his subjects, and often withholds food shipments to areas where there is political unrest, or a rebel uprising.
The only resistance to this despotic regime is a secretive resistance group known as the "Khal'ii"; led by a mysterious folk-hero known only as "Ghola."
Military
Vilzar has no standing army, but its Priest-kings have the power to unite its tribes in time of war and field up to 200,000 troops, 5,000 chariots, and a navy of approximately 50 warships. The Vilzari "navy" is, in truth, no more than a collection of pirate raiders.
Life & Society
The Vilzari lead a life of devout religious worship combined with a brutal tribal existence. Much of the realm of Vilzar is a vast desert called the Myr Gelyn (the Sea of Sand). Due to harsh climate conditions, resources are rare, especially the most important resource; water.
Because of these rare resources, many Vilzari folk are nomads, traveling in great caravans across the barren sands in search of water and food.
Some of these caravans contain as many as 40,000 people and half as many animals. Along the coastal and southern regions of Vilzar, the lands are much more fertile and thus the folk are more stationary.
The Vilzari love gold and jewelry, and adorn their bodies richly with bright colors and much ornamentation. Vilzari society is harsh, with complete male dominance over females, and strange marriage customs where men have many wives and children are raised communally. In addition, slavery is quite prevalent in Vilzari society and widely accepted. It is common for poor families to sell one of their children into servitude to help the others survive.
What binds all Vilzari men and women together are their fierce religious beliefs. Priests are revered by all Vilzari and run every aspect of their society.
At the very least, even the tiniest Vilzari village has a shrine to Velok; their most revered deity. Most Vilzari Gods require many human sacrifices, so the Vilzari have historically been aggressive to their neighbors for an ample supply of slaves, sacrificial victims, and material resources.
The Thannish despise these desert people, and will often kill them on sight. Other western races view the Vilzari suspiciously, and will usually shun them.
Major Geographic Features
It should be remembered that although the majority of Vilzari national territory is desert terrain, the coastal areas and the lush green southern regions are the most populous, and the great desert is simply a barrier to be crossed between the Vilzari civilization and those of the West. There are few outstanding features of the country.
Naracen Plateau: Desolate region of grasslands, and the location of two great battles in 583/4 and 248/6.
Sea of Sand An enormous desert that comprises much of Vilzari territory, and divides the continents of Corwyn and Azoria.
Sha'Dur Mountains: a very jagged and steep range of mountains that stretch across the northern tip of the continent of Azoria, that serves as the boundary between the realm of Vilzar to the north and the vast Sanjaara Jungle to the south.
Deep within these mountains are two great civilizations. In the western region lies the Republic of Kendar, On the eastern side of the mountains lies the Prelacy of Al-Hazra and its capitol city of Var Salaam.
Shorafa River: Called by many the "River of Life," this most vital and important waterway psses through the city of An-Khara on its passage northwest to the coast. This river is considered sacred to the Vilzari people and is believed to be the home of their water-Goddess; Ak'Tai. It is named for the ancient desert realm of Shorafa that existed long before Vilzar.
Important Sites
Agatite Mountains: rugged mountainous region in northeast Vilzar, which form the eastern boundary of the Sea of Sand
Ruins of Ak-Su Tamen: Also known as the "City of Numbers," this former Shorafi city was consumed by the desert sands long ago.
An-Khara: (population: 55,000) capitol city of Vilzar, located along the banks of the Shorafa River. The city is home to the great palace of K’Nar Marom, and the gigantic Pyramid of Velok.
Ruins of Djedu: Also known as the "City of Jewels," this former Shorafi city was consumed by the desert sands long ago.
Eto: (population: 35,000) major Vilzari city and seaport, located on the shores of the Sea of Ralas, about 300 miles south of the Kerak.
Ruins of Ostrum: Also known as the "City of Spices," this former Shorafi city was consumed by the desert sands long ago.
Ra'hib Isle: large island located off the Savage Coast.
Ril'tar: (population: 3,000) small walled settlement that surrounds the largest known oasis in the great desert.
Ruins of Sekh: Also known as the "City of Wisdom," this former Shorafi city was consumed by the desert sands long ago.
Ruins of Tanif: Also known as the "City of Splendors," this former Shorafi city was consumed by the desert in a terrible sandstorm long ago. It is considered the greatest ruined city in the world, and is located south of the Agatite Mountains.
Tephu: (pop: 18,000) Tephu is a small Vilzari city located at the edge of the Sea of Sand, along the banks of the Shorafa River.
Trail of Skulls: ‘road’ of sorts created by the failed expedition of King Eladan Myrnäe III, in the year 430/5. Thousands of human skulls, mounted on poles stretch for hundreds of miles through the desert.
Vanzali: (population: 67,000) large Vilzari seaport, located in the far southwestern region of Vilzar, on the coast of the Sea of Ralas; once a Shorafi City called Kharmë.
Wati: small settlement located adjacent to the ruins of Tanif, set up for excavation and plunder of the lost city.
Local History
The history of this region is one of blood, toil, and misery, stretching back thousands of years.
Era of Shorafa and the rule by the Pharaohs
The earliest histories of this region speak of Shorafa; an ancient human civilization that thrived in the deserts of the Sea of Sand. The peoples of Shorafa were called the Shorafi, and built two great cities in the region; Tanif and An-Khara.
Tanif was destroyed in a terrible sandstorm, and An-Khara was abandoned and later captured by tribes of the Vilzari. The great Shorafi temple dedicated to Marzok, located there was enlarged by the Vilzari and re-named the Pyramid of Velok. The Shorafi civilization died out over 4,300 years ago and the present Vilzari culture took its place.
Age of Blood
This period refers to the 700-year period where the Vilzari emigrated into the region, but constantly warred among themselves, and a hundred different Vilzari kingdoms rose and fell across the Sea of Sand.
Edict of Magreb
In the early Fourth Age, a powerful Vilzari chieftain named Magreb came to rule the region.
He was a cruel and wicked leader, with a xenophobic hatred of all other sentient races. During his reign of the region, he ordered the extermination of all other races, including gnomes, halflings, and dwarves.
He also instilled a superstitions hatred of these races which sadly has endure to this very day. Since that time, these other races have not been seen in the region.
Only the resilient Desert-Elves were able to escape by migrating into the deepest recesses of the Sea of Sand.
Era of Z'Kar Z'Runne
In the year 740/4, a great Vilzari warlord named Z'Kar Z’Runne first united the Vilzari tribes together with aims to conquer the fertile lands north of the Sea of Sand.
Z’Runne was assisted in his quest by Alokkair, and soon after he controlled all Vilzari tribes of the South. Z’Runne ordered raids north into the realm of Eldara.
By 744/4, Z’Runne’s armies had captured the city of Rin Falar, and carried off thousands of Eldarans as slaves.
As a result of these raids, King Agathar II of Eldara was forced to flee north, but, eventually his forces drove the Vilzari from the country and back into the desert.
Era of Alzakar K'Noth & the Incursion Wars
Beginning in the year 1256/4, a powerful Vilzari warlord named Alzakar K’Noth launched a series of terrible invasions of Eldara, that came to be called the Incursion Wars.
In 1269/4, Alzakar invaded Eldara a second time. The Eldarans were sorely pressed and her elvish and Rynnish allies again were forced to come to her aid.
By 1271/4, the Vilzari armies of Alzakar were again defeated and he fell back south, but this time burned much of the southern region of Eldara as he went.
In 1277/4, Alzakar launched a third invasion, with larger forces than ever before.
Eldara did not stand alone, and was aided by Melinarë, Alveron, and Rhodara.
This third time, the Vilzari were outfought, and at the terrible Battle of Relanoth in 1279/4, Alzakar was slain and his army completely destroyed.
With the death of Alzakar, the Vilzari fell into anarchy, and several factions warred against each other for decades.
For the next 400 years, the Vilzari seemed content to invade their southern neighbors and war against each other, and innumerable wars, battles and skirmishes were fought.
Wars Against the Ravinian Empire
Throughout the Fifth Age, the Vilzari launched four major wars against the Ravinian Empire, resulting in massive loss of life and a severe weakening of Imperial military forces.
The First Vilzari War lasted from 422-430/5, and began when King K’Foth A’Nar; a brilliant strategist and cunning Vilzari warrior, invaded the Ravinian Empire from its southern borders.
The early Vilzari campaigns were successful, and soon the Eldaran cities of Sathay, Rin Falar, and Kingsport had been captured.
By 430/5, the Vilzari armies were defeated at the Battle of Herrenden Fields by the Ravinian Marshall Eladan Myrnäe III.
It took eight years to defeat A’Nar’s army because of his tactical abilities and because Sorimmar sent a large army of orcs through the Saugreth-Muir at the same time to force the Empire to fight on two fronts.
After the Battle of Herrenden, A’Nar led his Vilzari army south in retreat into the great desert of the Sea of Sand.
Eladan foolishly chose to follow them into the desert, and he and his entire army of 25,000 soldiers were annihilated. His fallen solders were impaled and their corpses left in the desert to rot, creating the infamous "Trail of Skulls."
This eight-year conflict is considered the bloodiest of all the Vilzari Wars and resulted in, by far, the largest loss of life and destruction of property.
In the aftermath of this conflict, Empress Ravinia ordered construction of the Kerak to prevent the hated Vilzari from invading ever again.
The Second Vilzari War (536-538/5) began when King V’Nor D’Thak's huge Vilzari army swarmed over the Kerak, taking hideous losses, and invaded the Ravinian Empire.
Within two years, V’Nor’s army was outfought, outflanked and encircled, and the Imperial navy captured the Vilzari city of Eto and stranded the Vilzari armies, causing a rout. V’Nor survived the war, but within a year he was murdered by rival warlords to avenge their humiliating defeat.
The Third Vilzari War (556-559/5) began with an invasion led by D'Ruun M'Koth; a powerful Vilzari priestess.
At first the Empire remained supremely confident behind the ramparts of the Kerak and the Vilzari armies were firmly held.
However, M’Koth outflanked the Kerak in 557/5, marched on, and easily captured the lightly defended city of Kingsport. Ultimately, D'Ruun M'Koth was slain and her army destroyed at the decisive Battle of Khossen.
The Fourth Vilzari War (579-583/5) began with a Vilzari invasion led by King T’Kar T’Reth, whose aim was not to capture ground but to grind down the strength of the Imperial armies.
T’Reth’s enormous army of nearly 250,000 warriors repeatedly destroyed Ravinian armies sent against it, and wore down the defender’s strength.
By the fourth year of the war, the entire combined northern, western, and southern Imperial armies were combined to finally defeat the Vilzari hordes.
At the terrible Battle of Naracen, the Vilzari were soundly defeated and retreated south into the desert. T’Reth himself was captured by Imperial troops and later executed at Castle Myrdon.
Tragically, the Empire had won a hollow victory. Over 100,000 of its best soldiers had been slain during the war, and the remaining legions could not adequately defend the Empire from future invasions
The Desert War
(243-248/6) The Desert War was a brutal conflict between the kingdom of Eldara and the Vilzari. In 243/6, the Vilzari once again invaded Eldara, now that the Ravinian Empire had fallen. The Eldarans fought back bitterly, but the Vilzari were able to capture and destroy the city of Sathay. Even after the fall of their city, the Eldaran armies fought on stubbornly, drove the Vilzari out of Eldara, pursued them across the desert, and soundly defeated them at the Second Battle of Naracen in 248/6. Finally, the Irazadi Kings ordered a long, brutal campaign south to bring the war to an end. His army eventually besieged and burned the Vilzari city of An-Khara, and forced the Vilzari to sue for peace.
The War of Crows
After their defeat in the Desert War, the Vilzari again fell into a long period of anarchy and civil wars. In 670/6, emissaries of Drakhara convinced the Vilzari King in An-Khara to again invade the West during the War of Crows. The offensive was poorly planned and coordinated and the Vilzari never had any real successes, other than besieging the cities of Sathay and Rin Falar for nearly two years. The Vilzari armies were severely defeated by the end of the War of Crows, and at its conclusion, retreated south across the desert.
The War of Tears
The most recent conflict between Vilzar and Eldara was the War of Tears, which took place between the years 1044 and 1049/6.The war began with a surprise Vilzari invasion from both land and sea. The Vilzari soon captured the city of Sathay and carried away most of its population as slaves. The Eldaran army eventually drove the Vilzari south across the border, into the desert, and chased them to the city of Eto. The Eldaran king Lazaro ordered the city burned and its entire population put to the sword in revenge for earlier Vilzari atrocities. The War of Tears was among the bloodiest of the many Eldaran-Vilzari conflicts.
