Adar
Adar is the mountainous region in southeast of Sarlona. It is inhabited mostly by humans (including the kalashtar), though there is a prominent contingent of blue dragons on the uppermost peaks.
To its inhabitants, Adar is mostly known as a refuge from the dictatorship of Riedra, and many of its residents can trace their lineage to refugees and dissidents of the Riedran state. To this day, Riedra considers Adar a danger to its enforced stability, and regularly sends troops to attack the borders of the region.
Though there is no formal government, the communities among the mountains pay respect and generally listen to the counsel of the Speaker of the Word, a spiritual position currently held by Chanaakar.
No magic exists that cannot be found in the mortal soul. Those who traffic with forces outside themselves—celestial, draconic, or fiendish—are fools. The mortal soul holds within it all potential. As mortals we are the masters of creation, not just actors on its stage.
Structure
Adar is a nation concerned with survival. At one time, Adarans could get along without working together, but that all changed when the Inspired began their siege. The sacrifice of Taratai threw the invading forces back and left the Shroud that protects Adar to this day. Still, Adarans know that internal strife is the surest means to their destruction.
Adar's high passes (and the hidden fortresses guarding them) shelter it from direct assault. Water, a border with Syrkarn, and the largest concentration of defenders in Adar all help to protect Kasshta Keep. The Riedran war machine has yet to find a way to alter the frequent storms that howl out of the mountains. Similar storms occur daily over the waters around Adar, and mighty beasts prowl the seas, as if nature conspires to keep Adar secure. The quori who inhabit the Inspired actually fear the spirit-binding magic employed by Adar's Keepers of the Word. Immortality is no defense against such sorcery.
These truths said, if the Inspired acquired enough intelligence to locate the fortresses in Adar and a way to breach the Shroud, they could strike quickly and take out Adar's major defenses. As it stands, Riedran patrols and feints on the borders cause many Adaran deaths and many more Riedran casualties. Adarans, especially those living on the borders, are accustomed to loss.
WHO RULES ADAR
No one authority rules Adar. Excluding elders among the mountainfolk, the major points of power in the land are the eight monastery fortresses that guard passes and weak points in Adar's redoubtable terrain. Each of these citadels is a center of power for a specific set of monks and kalashtar. Two factors do keep Adar unified, however. First is the kalashtar; second is the threat of the Inspired.
The aforementioned rule by elders is prevalent in Adaran society. The wisest and eldest lead. Wisdom supersedes age, so many "elders" are not old at all, but often the wisest folk are the oldest. Each elder represents a section of a settlement's population, and that group trusts the elder to look out for them. These elders make decisions for a settlement as a group. The most respected elder, a male or female who has the confidence of all local elders, heads a local council. Such a person is a leader among equals, not a chieftain. Little dishonesty occurs in this system—those who are incompetent or corrupt are quickly replaced. For the most part, merit determines power in Adar.
Among Adarans, the Speaker of the Word in Kasshta Keep is a respected figure. The Speaker position has existed far longer than the kalashtar have been in Adar—even they revere the wisdom of the Speaker of the Word. Although the Speaker holds no actual authority, words from this person can move the citizens of Adar to action and sway the minds of masters in other monasteries. Throughout the ages, Speakers have been reputed to be dispassionate and invariably long-sighted. Speakers often suggest their successors, but the Keepers' Council of the Wise makes the final choice. Adarans often speak of former Speakers as if they were highly regarded ancestors.
Religion
Traditional Adaran prayers call on Braahyn (Balinor), the god of the wilds and the moving earth, and his spouse Aarakti (Arawai), the goddess of abundance and storms. Many people also respect the spirits of nature and those of their ancestors. The Path of Light, the dominant religion in Adar, has all but eclipsed these other spiritual practices. Its message has proven preferable to the rule of remote gods and a cold and meaningless end to life in Dolurrh. It is a path of choosing one's own destiny and possibly even transcending death.
Practitioners on the Path of Light hope to change the Quor Tarai from its current nightmare manifestation of il-Lashtavar, the Dreaming Dark, to a tranquil dream centering on il-Yannah, the Great Light. Traditionally, contemplation of peace and kindness coupled with similar actions in the world are thought to be enough to eventually change the Quor Tarai. The lightbringers (yannahsur) among the Path's devotees do just that.
Direct action against evil is secondary, and opposition is sometimes seen as reinforcing malevolence by investing energy in it. It is necessary, however, to have those faithful who are prepared to take action. These believers are called shadow watchers (sheshantol). Younger kalashtar, and those of Khorvaire (under the influence of undisciplined minds or human urges, say some elders) have taken a stronger stand against the Dreaming Dark. These spiritual warriors point to the actions of Taratai, the Path of Light's greatest saint, and have begun to take the war to the Inspired.
Priests of Path of Light can be either lightbringers or shadow watchers, but all such clergy have duties to their communities that preclude constant meditation. Such priests are called lightspeakers (yannahilath). They are expected to be shining examples of the Path of Light. Adaran lightspeakers can be of any race, but most are human or kalashtar.
Foreign Relations
Adarans are insular to the point of xenophobia, and not without reason. Of other lands Adarans know little, and they're not inclined to trust.
Riedra
Dogs led by wolves—that's how Adarans define Riedrans. Riedra is the kennel. To an Adaran, a typical Riedran is like an unswervingly loyal hound, good for working but too quick to trust the master. Most Adarans, especially those who follow the Path of Light, view common Riedrans with pity. Can the hound help that the master is wicked? Does the master's corruption make the hound evil? It is with sorrow at times that the defenders of Adar strike down Riedran soldiers, but Adar's warriors can't afford mercy. All Adarans pray for the undoing of the Inspired, no matter what that means for the common folk of Riedra.
Syrkarn
Adarans spend little thought on their neighbors to the east. The ogres, yuan-ti, and other creatures of Syrkarn rarely attempt to venture into Adar, and those that manage to breach Adar's borders rarely last long. If it weren't for the Riedran fortresses on the Syrk coast near Kasshta Keep, Adarans might forget about Syrkarn altogether.
Tashana Tundra
Many Adarans don't know the tundra exists. Those who do pay it little mind; it's far away and mostly empty. Unfortunately for these Adarans, they're wrong. Potential allies live in the tundra in the form of the Akiak dwarves.
Other Nations
Adar's chief export to Khorvaire is the kalashtar. Over recent centuries, humans from Adar have also made their way to Khorvaire. Monks of Tashalatora have set up schools as far away as Breland, and many in the Five Nations fail to understand that the martial arts of the Tashalatora are actually foreign. Adar has no embassy in any nation, however. Further, Adarans who immigrated to Khorvaire long ago are largely integrated into their respective nations. Those who arrived in Khorvaire as recently as three centuries ago, however, still have their own communities within larger settlements such as Sharn. Most such communities include a large number of kalashtar. Since Adarans are quiet, clean, and industrious, most citizens of foreign nations barely notice them.
The storm cannot move the mountain.
Estimates based on casual psychic census, 1,800 AT (998 YK).
Population: 320,000 (51% human, 45% kalashtar, 4% other).
Area: 745,000 square miles.
Sovereign: Chanaakar, Speaker of the Word (unofficial).
Capital: Kasshta Keep (unofficial).
Major Cities: Dvaarnava, Haztaratain Monastery, Malshashar, Tashalatora, Xephanan, Zi'til'natek.
Climate: Temperate with warm lowlands and cold highlands.
Highest Point: Korrandar, elevation 32,495 feet.
Heraldry: The closest to a national symbol in Adar is the symbol of the Path of Light.
Founder: Unknown.
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