Chessenta
Chessenta was a confederation of city-states bound by common culture and mutual defense, but for most of its history wasn’t truly a unified nation and the Chessentan cities were often at war with one another. Chessenta was one of the so-called Old Empires of Faerûn.
Structure
Chessenta has no unified government as such, although, very nominally, the Sceptanar of Cimbar is empowered to act as a spokesman for all Chessenta (although the other cities are not bound to any agreements reached by the king without their ratification). In practice each city has its own government:
- Cimbar: A city of philosophy and art, noted as possibly the cleanest and most well-maintained city in Faerûn. However, Cimbar also has a formidable military and one of the largest fleets on the Inner Sea. Cimbar is ruled by the Sceptanar, an elected representative advised by the Senate. The largest and most powerful city in Chessenta, but not large or powerful enough to oppose any two or three of the other cities combined (usually Airspur, Soorenar and Luthcheq).
- Akanax: A city ruled and organised in a military fashion, ruled by a king with absolute authority. In practice, the king delegates day-to-day control of the city to a military tribunal.
- Heptios: A city of philosophers and traders, disdained by others for being “soft.”
- Luthcheq: The City of Madness is ruled by the Karanok family, devotees of the bizarre entity Entropy and, like that entity, are opposed to the existence of magic, and seek its destruction. Wizards are routinely burned at the stake. Luthcheq’s economic and military power is formidable and its priests are distressingly skilled at negating the use of magic against the city.
- Mordulkin: A city of mages and guilds, currently ruled by King Hercubes Jedea. An implacable rival to Luthcheq and traditional ally of Cimbar.
- Soorenar: A somewhat chaotic city ruled by a triumvirate of lords from the Thurik, Yashur and Brolkchant families. The city operates under the legal system of the Code of Enlil, which permits crimes to be carried out as long as they can be justified to serve the greater good, the determination of which is somewhat arbitrary.
Culture
The Chessentans were a passionate people, always living to the fullest and never doing things half-way. Seen by outsiders as a drunken and riotous people, Chessentans had a well-earned reputation as fierce warriors and cunning tacticians. While they appreciated the fine arts and theatre, the culture of the Chessentans revolved around war and war heroes. This dedication to war suits the Chessentans well, for their nation has prospered through the conflicts between their rival cities. The title of War Hero was one of the greatest honors a person could earn, and usually any particular battle only had one person worthy of such a title.
Few nations in all Faerûn were as erudite in philosophy, astronomy, poetry, and history as Chessenta. Theatres and libraries were commonplace, and even in smaller cities such poetry and philosophy were practiced in public squares. Chessentans also loved sports and their athletic competitions were popular events, particularly wrestling, and almost every citizen had some skill at fighting. Chessenta’s sizable middle class controlled the country’s economy, with a government that encouraged prosperity for all, so tax revenues were high.
Despite such progressiveness, Chessentans practiced slavery, and most of their slaves were elves, although this practice was less widespread than in the nations of the Old Empires, and a slave-owner could grant a slave freedom at any time. In the 15th century DR, Chessentans also developed a deep-seated mistrust of all things arcane, because of their enmity with High Imaskar.
Although all Chessentans had these traits in common, each city also boasted its own customs and heroes, worshiped its own gladiatorial champions, and competed with the other cities with great zeal.
Cuisine
During Chessentan celebrations of the Deadwinter Day, the realm's people prepared confections known as skulls. Small decadent fatty and sweet dough balls were pinned to form a rough shape of a skull, cooked, and covered in white sugar icing.
History
Chessenta was founded in −1771 DR as an autonomous province of the first Untheric empire. It was named after their first Grand Viceroy, Iphram Chess. His first official proclamation was the cleansing of all indigenous species, notably the Turami peoples of the Akana and the Batoi halflings along the Adder River. Over the next several centuries, Gilgeam the Tyrant sent the Chessentan legions in decisive campaigns against eastern Jhaamdath and the fey of the Methwood.
In 929 DR the city states of Chessenta, led by the war hero Tchazzar, drove the armies of Unther to the Riders to the Sky mountains, freeing Chessenta from Untheric rule. During Tchazzar's brief Chessentan Empire, the city of Cimbar was the capital of Chessenta. In 1018 DR, Tchazzar disappeared while fighting sahuagin and the people of Chessenta believed he had ascended to godhood. After Tchazzar's disappearance, the kingdom slowly broke apart into squabbling city states, around 1117 DR. Tchazzar returned in 1373 DR to reestablish his kingdom but disappeared again following the chaos of the Spellplague in 1385 DR.
In the decades after the Spellplague the war hero Ishual Karanok rose to rule Chessenta. Under his guidance, Chessenta was unified as a single nation again. During the rule of the Karanok dynasty, during the 15th century DR, the capital of Chessenta was the city of Luthcheq. In 1479 DR, his descendant, Shala Karanok, was the ruler of Chessenta when Tchazzar was rescued from the Shadowfell by the Brotherhood of the Griffon, as part of the plans of the dragon player's of Brimstone's xorvintaal, and became ruler of Chessenta once again.
Under Tchazzar's guidance, Chessenta was finally able to conquer Threskel, making it a vassal state. However, Tchazzar slowly descended to madness and tried to destroy Luthcheq, and was eventually defeated by the Shala's loyalists, the Brotherhood of the Griffon, the army of Akanûl and a group of knights from Tymanther at the Battle of Luthcheq. After the battle, Shala was reinstated as the war hero.
Following the chaos of the Second Sundering, Chessenta once again broke apart into squabbling city states. Chessentan cities, thought destroyed a century prior by the Spellplague, returned to Toril, in one form or another, after being exiled to the world of Abeir.
Demography and Population
Population: 3,386,880 (82% human, 6% halfling, 5% dwarf, 4% half-orc, 2% lizardfolk)
Territories
Chessenta is a large nation extending along the southern coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars, from the city-states of the Vilhon Reach in the west to the Riders to the Sky Mountains in the east, and extending inland to the vast Chondalwood.
Religion
As Chessenta was a martial society, Tempus had many followers. Oghma had a large temple in Erebos and, since Kelemvor had almost no presence in the region, the temple of Waukeen assumed responsibility for tending to the dead. In addition to the common Faerûnian religions there were several regional cults. The Cult of Tchazzar always had a large membership in Chessenta and with Tchazzar's return the cult was been reinvigorated and was building a huge temple in Luthcheq in 1479 DR. The Cult of Entropy worshiped the primordial Entropy and a cult worshiped the archfey Sebakar, the Lord of Crocodiles.
Art, cows, gold, grapes, olive oil, quality iron, silver, slaves, statues, weapons, wine
Cheese, glass, horses, magic weapons, mercenaries, perfume, pork, slaves
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