Western Flanaess

Location	Ruler	Description
Dry Steppes, the		Desert where the Baklunish empire once stood
Ekbir, the Sultanate of	Sultan Xargun II (aasimar)	Monarchy in an uneasy peace with its neighbors, bracing for a rumored invasion from Zeif
Ket	Beygraf Zoltana Lhaz (human)	Crossroads region
Plains of the Ulakandar, the	Various Ulakandar clan leaders	Land of the Ulakandar nomads, who roam between the Dry Steppes and the border of Zeif
Sea of Dust, the		Wasteland where the Suel Imperium once stood
Tusmit, the Pashalik of	Pasha Qharlan Sylba (human)	Monarchy profiting by playing its neighbors against each other
Ull	Orakhan Drasika Borinok (human)	Independent fiefdom founded by Ulakandar nomads who settled the land
Zeif, the Sultanate of	Sultan Naxas Murad (human)	Monarchy ruled by a reclusive philosopher who resists his advisers’ call to imperial expansion

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Survivors of the Invoked Devastation that destroyed the ancient Baklunish empire settled the temperate prairies, forests, and coastal lands of the Western Flanaess about a thousand years ago. Largely separated from the rest of the Flanaess by the Yatils, the Barrier Peaks, and the Crystalmist Mountains, these realms are a stronghold of Baklunish cultures.

The nations of Ekbir, Tusmit, and Zeif represent the heart of the region, and two rivers—the Blashikmund and the Tuflik—form natural borders between them. Although the nations currently enjoy peaceful relations, Tusmit profits by playing its political neighbors against each other—Ekbir against Zeif, Zeif against the Ulakandar nomads, the Ulakandar nomads against Ket, and so forth. Pasha Qharlan Sylba of Tusmit is careful to keep his name well clear of these schemes so he can avoid embroiling Tusmit in open warfare. But Tusmit’s spies are currently causing discord by spreading rumors that Zeif is planning to invade Ekbir. Ekbir’s sultan believes the rumors are true and is readying his army.

Sultan Naxas Murad of Zeif is a reclusive man, a great philosopher, and a stern father figure to the rulers of Ekbir and Tusmit. Over the years, advisers and family members have urged Naxas to expand Zeif’s borders through military conquest, but he refuses to do so, citing failed land grabs by kingdoms through history as proof that imperial expansion across the Flanaess rarely ends well.

Western Flanaess Culture

The culture of the Western Flanaess preserves many of the ways and traditions of the ancient Baklunish empire. Enormous value is placed on the virtues of hospitality and generosity, particularly almsgiving and pious donations to temples and clergy. Since the fall of their ancient empire, the people of the Western Flanaess have demonstrated more interest in trade—as a way of amassing power and wealth, but also as a means of connecting and coexisting with neighbors—than in imperial expansion or military domination.

The clothing favored by the people of the Western Flanaess features bright patterns in vibrant colors, worn in flowing gowns, robes, and long coats worn with breeches. Their cuisine is renowned for its rich flavors and spiciness.

Western Flanaess and Its Neighbors

Ket is the crossroads between the Western Flanaess and the rest of the continent, nestled between the Yatil Mountains and Barrier Peaks. Though it was founded by Baklunish settlers, Ket’s proximity to both Bissel (and the lands of Old Keoland) and Veluna (and the Central Flanaess) makes it a vibrant, multicultural land rich from extensive trade. Its culture reflects the breadth of its trade, including sizable populations of dragonborn and tieflings and displaying a fusion of Baklunish and Oeridian influence. This mixture is visible in the title of its ruler, which is a combination of a Baklunish title (bey) and an Oeridian one (graf). The beygraf is a noble chosen by the lords of Lopolla’s wealthiest, most influential families. Many of these lords also serve as generals in the Kettish military. The current beygraf, Zoltana Lhaz, is a skilled diplomat who so far has balanced the interests of different forces both inside her nation and among her neighbors.

Western Flanaess Adventures

The political and mercantile intrigue among Ekbir, Tusmit, and Zeif provides abundant adventure opportunities for characters in the Western Flanaess. A campaign focused around intrigue or mystery works particularly well in this region.

Of course, the Western Flanaess has its fair share of monsters, dungeons, and ruins as well. The ruins of the Baklunish Empire in the Dry Steppes, and those of the Suel Imperium in the Sea of Dust, attract plenty of adventurers as well as villains hoping to claim the magical knowledge that caused the terrible catastrophes leading to the fall of those empires. Ket and Ull, too, suffer from the depredations of the monsters in the Barrier Peaks and the Yatil Mountains, just as their eastern neighbors do.